


Iron

by wildfrancium



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: F/F, Romance, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Spoilers, eventual clexa, world building
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-30
Updated: 2017-09-12
Packaged: 2018-03-09 16:45:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 23
Words: 51,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3257126
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wildfrancium/pseuds/wildfrancium
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Their people have been saved from Mount Weather, but now what? Things are just beginning.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> [NOTE] I started writing after episode 2X10, so things are different.  
> The title is based on the song Iron (Quintet Version) by Woodkid.  
> Chapters 1-16 written pre S3. 
> 
> [CONTAINS SPOILERS]

Twenty-two.

One hundred had become forty-eight and was now twenty-two. 

It was haunting. The special cages built just for her people. All neat and organized... all tainted and bloodstained. 

The number of grounders past the point of no return was greater, but all Clarke could think of was how many graves they would have to dig and how many of her people were gone completely. Twenty of the cages were empty. Twenty of her people had been used up and fed to the reapers. Six were dead in their cages. And twenty were too weak to move. 

The Sky People carried them out. Grounders had helped once their people were removed. Now everyone was scouring the mountain for useful supplies. They suggested they take over living there, but Clarke had been so disgusted by the idea that she left the discussion. The sky people... her people, didn't see it the same way. They saw safety. They saw a building that resembled home. They wanted to stay. 

But all Clarke saw was captivity and murder. 

Lexa had backed Clarke up, but the medicine and equipment in the mountain was too useful to pass up. The stronger grounders went back to the camps.  
But all of the hundred that were left, and over half the caged grounders, were taken into the mountain to be treated. 

All the dead from Mount Weather had been buried, or so she was told. The dying were in the sick bay. The wounded were being treated. The reapers were being wrangled together for detox. 

And yet Clarke couldn't move from the room where the cages were. 

Maybe if she'd tried harder or worked faster... 

“Clarke,” Lexa said from behind her. Clarke took a deep, slow breath. 

“What?” she asked not turning around. 

The only reason they stood in that room was because of Lexa, because of the grounders. Her plan had failed and without the army... all their people would have died. 

“If you are coming back to camp we are leaving now,” Lexa said. Clarke remained silent. She'd spent a lot of time at the grounder camp. After... everything that happened with her failed plan, it had been Lexa who took over and convinced everyone not to lose hope. Learning that Bellamy had been captured had taken a toll on Clarke. While she gave her people and the grounders an emotionless front, it'd been Lexa that had gotten her through it convincing Clarke that they would save their people. 

And now they had. 

But at what price?

When the plan had failed, Clarke couldn't stand being in the camp with her mother and Marcus and Raven and everyone breathing down the back of her neck. She sought refugee in the grounder camp. It was quieter there. When she wasn't in a meeting, she had been left alone. 

“He's still not awake if that changes your mind,” Lexa told Clarke. Clarke shut her eyes. She was the one to blame for sending Bellamy to his death. There was a chance he'd never wake up...

“I'm going to check and then I will be there to go back to the camp,” Clarke said at last. She couldn't stay here. The air was stale and tainted with death. 

“I will tell them to wait. Don't be long,” Lexa stated and Clarke listened to her footsteps as they exited the room. 

She had to go. She had to make her feet move. 

Clarke stared at the cages feeling everything and then forcing herself to feel nothing. They were gone, long gone. Gone forever. 

“Your fight is over,” she whispered in grounder. 

Then she turned and left the room. She was never going to set foot in the room again. Tomorrow the cages would be dismantled, but she was done staring at the room and wishing for things that couldn't happen. 

 

“Clarke!” people working in the infirmary seemed to be relieved to see her. She moved through the beds looking at grounders and her people blended together unrecognizable as different people when lying in hospital beds. All of them were pale and gaunt. All appear weak and small. Sky people and a few grounders attended to them with water and food. People were constantly checking vitals. But even she didn't know if there was any hope to be had. 

“It's been hours and still nothing,” Octavia said from her seat next to Bellamy's bed. “Jasper was awake earlier or at least conscious. He didn't speak.”

“Mmm,” Clarke murmured looking at Bellamy. Then she looked at Octavia. Since being taken on as Indra's second, Clarke mainly saw her in passing. She wore full grounder attire now. But as she said to Clarke, she never belonged on the Arc anyway. 

Lexa had left grounder clothes for Clarke. Unlike Octavia, she'd been torn. She was from the Arc. She lead the sky people. But her loyalties and trust lay with Lexa rather then Marcus or even her mother. They were too busy thinking like they were still on the Arc when those laws and rules should have been scrapped. 

Some days Clarke woke up feeling like she was a grounder and some days she woke up feeling like she was from the sky. But most days she woke up not knowing what or who she was anymore. 

Bellamy had been the one to say that they were grounders... but Clarke didn't feel worthy. 

Octavia turned around. “Don't blame yourself,” she said flatly. “No one else does. We knew the risk.”

Clarke thought about Lincoln. He'd locked himself away and refused to listen to reason. He'd opted out of going on the raid. It was the smart choice.

“I don't blame anyone. What's done is done. We can only move forward from here,” Clarke said to Octavia. Love is weakness. The words always echoed in the back of her mind. But did she need to be strong anymore? 

“Are you going to camp?” Octavia asked turning back to Bellamy. Clarke gazed at him for a long moment before nodding. 

“Yes, I'll return in the morning with Lexa,” Clarke told her. Octavia nodded. 

“Tell the Commander thank you,” Octavia added quietly. “I haven't had time to thank her properly.”

“I will,” Clarke said. Octavia had already thanked her. Numerous times. Before and after they knew Bellamy's situation.

 

The fresh air was a relief. The stars above and the breeze blowing through her hair, that felt right to Clarke. 

Lexa stood with a handful of grounders and their horses. She handed a torch off to one of her warriors and climbed up onto her horse. It's hair was dark as the night and still terrified Clarke. Lexa had ordered her warriors teach Clarke to ride, but she was still apprehensive. So Lexa offered a hand out to Clarke. 

In the beginning, the grounders had protested saying no one rode with the Commander. But Lexa silenced them with one menacing look claiming Clarke a person worthy of sharing her saddle. 

Clarke took Lexa's hand and was pulled on top of the horse. It was still dressed for battle with heavy leather armor and war paint. She tired to get comfortable and locked her arms around Lexa's waist. 

They moved as a unit. Weaving through the trees and trampling over beaten down ground. The wind was cold and burned Clarke's face. But it was a rush.  
Every time she was on a horse it was a rush. To be held so high above the ground, to move at a faster speed, she was sure it was what power was supposed to feel like. 

And it was nothing like what she learned in Biology. To actually feel the horse move beneath her had changed her entire perspective. 

The camp was lit up with fire which had become more welcoming to Clarke then menacing. Over the past eleven days, Clarke had learned that Lexa ruled from a village just beyond Tondc. Tondc was one of the villages under her command. Lexa had been born in another village, but was soon brought to the command center when her people found the Commander's spirit inside of her. Anya wasn't much older than she'd been, but rose through the ranks quickly. She took Lexa as a second without a second thought. 

Clarke wished she had something interesting to tell Lexa. But her past was filled with stories of a privileged girl who went to school and came home to a loving family. She had told Lexa she'd thought she would become a doctor. Lexa had told her that while her healing skills were impressive, she was cut out to Command. 

And that stuck with Clarke. She'd never thought about ruling the Arc and had fallen into the role as leader of her people by accident.  
But others saw it differently. 

Lexa helped Clarke down from the horse and held her upper arm as Clarke found her center of balance again. 

“Join me for dinner,” Lexa said. She sounded like she was giving Clarke an order, but Clarke had learned she meant to be asking. Clarke nodded following Lexa to her tent. 

 

They ate in silence, both of them starving. There hadn't been much time to eat over the last seventy two hours during the raid. 

“I extend an invitation to you to burn your people with ours, as one,” Lexa said eyes on Clarke. Clarke didn't know what to say. “What was custom for the sky people?”

“Bodies were ejected into space after a ceremony,” Clarke said quietly. 

“Why did you bury bodies?” she asked. Clarke thought about the bodies at the drop ship. 

“It's what was in all the stories. The bodies were returned to the earth. I will talk to everyone in the morning, about what to do. 

“Burning sets the spirit free faster,” Lexa added. Clarke nodded. 

“And perhaps that's best,” Clarke said thinking about how her people had died. First at the hands of the grounders and then by the mountain men. And all of them at the hand of another human. Even Finn... “I think I'm going to go to my tent,” Clarke said suddenly feeling exhausted. Lexa nodded. 

“And Clarke... I feel this pain too. But it will be about how we help each other, not how we mourn for those we couldn't save. In war, no side is free of loss. But today was still a victory,” Lexa said. Clarke nodded only half listening. “And Bellamy-”

“Tomorrow Lexa,” Clarke said weakly. “We can talk about it tomorrow.” 

Lexa nodded once and stood to send Clarke to her tent. Clarke paused for a minute, looking at Lexa, but turned and headed out. Sometimes she felt like  
she was becoming more like Lexa and that scared Clarke. Raven had been the one to dismiss those thoughts though. She'd told Clarke she was becoming more of a grounder leader in general. 

And Clarke was torn.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote way more than I intended to, but I hope everyone enjoys. I'm having a blast writing this.

She didn't want it to be dawn. She didn't want it to be morning. But she didn't want to sleep either. 

Sleep had been filled with terror. The faces of everyone who had been lost and the faceless, nameless corpses of those she hadn't known and couldn't be saved. Her dreams had been of them clawing and grabbing her begging to be saved, to be spared, begging to know why she couldn't save them. Her screams had been drowned out by their cries. 

The camp had grown used to her screaming in the night. Clarke usually bolted up in bed sweating, throat sore, and some random grounder who was near by would poke their head in. They never spoke and Clarke always dismissed them with a wave of her hand. 

She'd then sit in bed clutching her chest trying to catch her breath. 

Clarke got up and dipped her hands into a bucket of ice cold water. She splashed some on her face, wiping away the sweat and tears from the night. She  
longed, momentarily, for a bath. She'd bathed in the grounder village once and it wasn't terrible. The water had been hot and the soap did it's job.  
Perhaps now that they were done fighting there'd be time for another bath. Clarke smiled remembering how Lexa talked of hot springs near her village. 

They sounded very nice. 

 

Clarke tucked her hands into her pockets. It was getting colder by the minute. Lexa said the cold was coming and Clarke believed it. She'd seen some of the grounders wearing heavier furs and more layers. But she hadn't convinced her people to start wearing the same furs. They seemed content with freezing. But maybe tucked away in Mount Weather they wouldn't need coats...

Clarke wrinkled her nose. The thought of going back inside disgusted her, but it was where her people were. 

“You're cold,” Arling, one of Lexa's second in commands, commented when Clarke approached a nearby fire. Clarke shrugged. Arling towered over most in the camp, with dark skin and dark eyes and a coarse beard, he always looked intimidating, but he spoke to Clarke in a soft voice. 

His eyes followed Clarke as she picked up a wooden bowl and ladled soup into it. She was eager to get something warm inside her. 

“Is Lexa awake?” Clarke asked. Arling gave a nod. 

“Eating in her tent. You may join the Commander,” he said. Clarke thought about it, but decided to sit on the bench across from Arling and three other grounders she didn't know by name. She ate quickly relishing the warmth that spread through her. 

One of the grounders murmured something Clarke didn't understand, but she paid no attention. Good or bad, their whispers didn't matter. What mattered was the alliance and a continued alliance as her people became settled. 

Arling stood, eyes still on Clarke, and then silently excused himself heading for Lexa's tent. The grounders went back to murmuring and glancing at Clarke. She didn't feel threatened, but she did feel annoyed. While her time with the grounders had caused her to pick up a lot of their language, she didn't know enough to completely follow their conversation. 

She sat with her empty bowl in her lap and hands in her pockets staring at the cloudless sky. It was the faintest of blues and the entire camp was lit up with early morning sunshine. She watched a bird dart across the sky and get lost in tall trees. 

“Clarke!” Lexa's sharp voice called out. Clarke twisted around to see Lexa standing with Arling. “It's time for us to leave for the mountain,” she said buckling a leather glove around her wrist. Clarke nodded standing up. As she did, one of the grounders held out his hand. He didn't say anything, but nodded towards her bowl. She handed it to him. 

“Thank you,” she said, but he didn't appear to be listening. 

Clarke hurried over to Lexa trying not to shiver. She'd never been this cold on the Arc. She never knew she could be this cold period. 

“Here,” Lexa said holding out fur gloves. “When we ride it will be cold,” she explained. “You need to stop being stubborn about the clothes I left for you.  
The cold here can kill you,” Lexa said as they walked to the horses. “If you do not like the clothes, I will find new ones.”

“No I like them,” Clarke said. And she did. But to wear grounder clothing seemed like she'd be becoming one of them and she didn't know how her people would react. 

Actually she knew. They wouldn't like it. 

Octavia was tolerated because she was never really part of the Arc. She didn't owe them any loyalty. Besides she made a better grounder. 

Clarke slipped her hands into the gloves. The part that covered her fingers could be folded back so that she could use her fingers and keep the gloves on. 

They were warm. 

**********************************************************

The ride felt faster then it did before. Or maybe Clarke was caught up in listening to the horses breathe or their hoof beats as they ran in formation. The trees around her were a blur and the sky remained cloudless above them. 

“I will talk to my people today. Those who are dead without family will be cremated and those with family, well they can decide,” Clarke said after dismounting the horse. Lexa nodded. 

“How many have family?” she asked. Clarke thought about it. A handful or so...

“Not many,” she told Lexa. 

“There are close to one hundred of my people and thirty of yours,” Lexa said as they entered the mountain. 

“One hundred and thirty graves,” Clarke murmured. She couldn't even imagine it. She'd seen a lot of the bodies, laid out and waiting to be moved, but the number still seemed too high. 

“Think of the living,” Lexa reminded her. “I will be with my warriors destroying the cages.”

“I will be here,” Clarke sighed. Lexa nodded and then followed the grounders to the lower floors. 

Clarke took a deep breath before entering the hospital wing. 

“Clarke!” a barrage of people swarmed her. 

“Clarke! Clarke!” her mother called pushing through the throng of people. She hugged Clarke tightly. “We didn't lose anyone over the night, but there hasn't been much improvement,” Abby said quietly walking with Clarke. “We've inventoried their medicine and the grounders have gathered herbs, but so far flushing their systems seem best. The tox screens show a variety of drugs in their systems, but we've only been able to identify some of them as sedatives. But none of the hundred had any drugs in their systems.”

Clarke bristled. “Twenty-one,” she muttered. “What else?” 

“They were being harvested for bone marrow. It's different then the grounders. Some have higher levels, but those with low levels... there isn't much we can do other than make them comfortable,” Abby whispered. Clarke felt her chest tighten. 

“Anything else?” Clarke asked. 

“We are finding out blood types and are going to start transfusions. Most of us are willing to give to the kids, but the grounders will need to be convinced to give their blood. It's our only idea right now to help them,” Abby said. Clarke sighed. Most of the grounders were weary of the mountain as it was. To convince them to give their blood was going to be a feat. 

“I will discuss it with Lexa. What about those injured in the raid?”

“Wound's cleaned and stitched. None of them are in critical condition. I've sent a team down to the tunnels where they are rounding up reapers. They are beginning detox, but it's going to be a slow process. I don't expect all of them to make it,” Abby explained. Clarke nodded. 

“Another thing I will discuss with Lexa. Last thing is what do you want to do with our dead. Lexa offered to cremate them along with the grounders who didn't make it. I agree with her idea. Those with family can decide, but those who don't will be cremated at dusk.”

“What? Clarke?” her mother protested. 

“What?” Clarke asked. Her mother was silent. 

“You talk more and more like the Commander every day,” Abby sighed. That annoyed Clarke. This wasn't a discussion about her actions, it was a discussion about what to do now that they were done fighting. It wasn't about her. It was about the decisions that needed to be made. Her mother might not like it, Marcus was going to hate it, but someone needed to decide things. “I will talk to Marcus,” Abby said. Clarke resisted rolling her eyes. 

“Tell him to find me if he has questions or tell him to start digging graves,” Clarke said shortly. She then walked away towards Bellamy's bed. 

Octavia was nowhere to be seen, so Clarke took a seat on the stool next to Bellamy's bed. She picked up his chart and thumbed it open. O negative. Vitals in the red. Unknown toxins in his body. Low blood cell count, red and white. Status: critical. 

Clarke let out a slow breath and wondered when they'd start transfusions. She was ready to donate. 

She put the chart down and stared at Bellamy. They were a team. She was the brain and he was the strength. He wasn't supposed to leave her to carry it all on her own. 

But then it was her who put him in the bed. Who knows what they did to him, but it was clear that if they'd been any later he wouldn't be there. 

“They are going to start doing transfusions and see if anyone can be a bone marrow transplant for the others,” Octavia said from behind Clarke. 

“Yes,” Clarke said flatly. 

“I, as Indra's second, having proved myself in the raid, have been able to begin to explain what a transfusion is to the grounders who stayed here. But they will want to see us do it first before they consider it.”

“I figured that much,” Clarke sighed. Convincing. She felt like she was always trying to convince someone of something. “How are the others?” she asked. Namely meaning Jasper. 

“Still asleep, but his status is low not critical. He seems to be the healthiest out of the hundred,” Octavia said. Clarke snorted. They were far from being the hundred anymore. 

''How many did you kill?” Clarke asked. 

“One reaper and twelve people from Mount Weather,” Octavia said sounding almost proud. She'd ran with the second wave. Clarke had gone in after the third wave when it was cleared out. She'd passed bloody grounders and dead on the ground concentrating on finding the cages. Mount Weather had guns, but the sheer number of grounders had been enough to overwhelm them. 

Clarke had decided not to be present when they killed the President and the doctors. She had every intention of being there and then she watched a grounder pull Bellamy from a cage. 

She let Lexa go ahead with the executions while she tended to Bellamy. After that she stood in the room where her people had been kept. 

Lexa had found her and said she should be there as they'd killed her people too. All Clarke had said was make them suffer as long as possible. 

“Thirteen marks,” Clarke said thinking back to Anya's second. The little girl that she couldn't save...

“How did you know?” she asked. Clarke sighed. 

“Finn and I...” she trailed off. It felt like centuries ago. “We were captured by Anya, right before the battle, and I was taken to heal her second. I asked about the marks on her. One for each kill.” Clarke reached out to touch Bellamy's hand. It was warmer which eased her worry. “I need to find Lexa.”

“It's okay to sit with him Clarke. I don't mind,” Octavia said in a softer voice. Clarke thought about it. 

“Maybe after we start the transfusions,” she said and stood up. 

 

“What is a blood transfusion?” Lexa asked as she surveyed the clearing of the room with the cages. It was almost empty. 

“First everyone pricks their finger to see what their blood type is,” Clarke started. 

“Are there different kinds of blood?” Lexa interrupt. Clarke nodded. 

“Yes. We see the type and match everyone up. Blood that is O negative can be given to anyone, but let's say your blood is type A positive then you need  
A positive or O negative,” Clarke said trying not to speak in a way that would sound condescending. 

“What happens when we find out what kind of blood we have?” 

“Then they will use a special needle and transfer blood from your body into a bag to be given to someone who needs it.” 

“No,” Lexa said sharply. 

“Lexa wait. We don't take a lot and this will help your people who received potentially toxic blood and are weak because their healthy blood was drained  
out,” Clarke explained. “I've done it before and it doesn't hurt-”

“I'm not afraid of pain, Clarke,” Lexa told her. “Blood is not meant to be given to others. My people are sick because of this.”

“It's more then that though. Their bodies were used as filters. It wasn't just about taking their blood out. They were being used for something the human body is not made for. Some of them will recover on their own, but the weaker ones, this could save them. My people have agreed to donate, but the more blood there is to use, the better,” Clarke finished. She watched Lexa who stood with her jaw set and her arms folded. 

“We will do the pricking, but I want to see this process done and then I will make my decision,” Lexa said at last. 

“Tell the grounders to come up to the hospital floor and be checked. Thank you,” Clarke said trying to hide her relief. Lexa smiled to herself. 

“Do you think I'm stubborn, Clarke?” she asked. 

“No just... your medical knowledge has greatly regressed where ours has progressed,” Clarke said honestly. 

“And is that an insult?” she asked turning to face Clarke. 

“No, no,” Clarke insisted. Lexa smiled again. 

“Don't be so quick to back down. I much prefer when you speak freely,” Lexa said glancing back at her people. “I will silence you when you've gone too far.”

“Of course,” Clarke said without thinking. Lexa raised her eyebrows, but didn't say anything. Instead she called out to the grounders. She explained that  
it was mandatory that everyone have their blood type recorded. The grounders looked on with blank faces. 

“I will go with you now,” Lexa said to Clarke. Clarke nodded. 

 

Back on the medical floor, Clarke was swarmed again. 

“Clarke we need to start IDing the grounders we have in the beds,” Abby said pulling Clarke away. “Commander can you ask your people in they  
recognize any of the grounders we saved? Wha their names are?”

“I will do that when they arrive,” Lexa said looking at one of the grounders who was lying in a bed asleep. 

“Here,” Clarke said picking up the chart. She showed it to Lexa. “On the top it is blank because we don't have a name. So that's why it says female grounder 7. Here is her blood type, type B negative. Her vitals are in the yellow. Vitals like heart rate and blood pressure. Her weight and approximate age. Defining features. Her blood cell count is low meaning she needs a transfusion. There are toxins in her body meaning they put stuff in her. She's hooked up to this,” Clarke went over to the IV. “It is cleaning her system. Her status is low but not critical. Does that all make sense?”

Lexa was looking over the chart running her fingers over the writing. “And your machines tell you all of this?” she asked looking around the room. 

“Yes,” Clarke said. 

“All the beds have a chart on them,” Abby piped in. Both Clarke and Lexa turned not realizing Abby was still standing there. 

“Show me the machines you use,” Lexa said to Clarke. She turned to Abby. “Have my healers learned all this as well?”

“Yes Commander. I've been teaching them,” Abby said politely. 

“Good,” Lexa said putting the chart down. She looked over the woman in front of her. “This in her arm is delivering medicine?” 

“It's mostly fluids. They were all dehydrated and the fluids help clean their system of toxins,” Abby explained. 

“Poison?” Lexa asked. 

“Not exactly. We aren't sure what most of them are, but some appear to be sedatives to make the people more compliant,” Abby explained. Lexa turned  
to the monitor. She stared. 

“I've seen these before. There's an old building, well not much of a building. A shelter underground. Full of these and metal beds and tools and boxes  
and cabinets,” Lexa said looking down at the chart. “It was near Esda to the West. It was a medical center.”

“How far is that from here?” Abby demanded. Lexa looked at her. 

“Mom we will discuss it after,” Clarke said quickly. 

“Show me how you find out what kind of blood we have,” Lexa said. Clarke led Lexa to the back of the room where the supplies was kept. Grounders were already gathering in the hall at Lexa's command. 

Clarke held up two items. “You prick your finger with this,” Clarke said and upcapped the tiny needle and pressed it against her middle finger on her left hand. She pushed down and reveal a small cut. “The blood from you finger goes on this tab here,” Clarke pressed her finger to the tab. “And then it tells  
you.” She held up the device for Lexa to see. 

“O negative. Yours can go to anyone,” Lexa said with a small smile. She held out her hand. “I'll do mine now.” 

Clarke handed Lexa a new needle for her finger and replaced the tab in the device. Lexa placed a drop of blood on the tab. 

“AB positive,” Clarke read. “Which means that you can accept all types of blood.” 

Lexa nodded. “Test my people and document it. Then show me what giving blood is.”

“I'll tell my mom,” Clarke said leaving Lexa's side to find Abby. 

 

“What did she say? Are they going to help?” Abby asked the moment Clarke found her. 

“She wants to see what it means to give blood and how it works. She probably won't have a decision until tomorrow.”

“Clarke we don't have time for that. They are dying.”

“Blood from our people should be able to help the grounders who are doing the worst,” Clarke said rolling up her sleeve. “What?” she asked her mother. 

“It's just,” her mother looked worried. “Marcus and I have talked to everyone and Octavia is the only one willing to give blood to the grounders.”  
Clarke set her jaw. “Where is Marcus?” Clarke snapped. 

“Clarke, Clarke you don't-”

“No you don't seem to understand. These are people just like us. They are human. We are in an alliance.”

“Clarke I understand, but we aren't going to force anyone. Our people feel like they've done enough and-”

“Enough?” Clarke exclaimed. She let out a short laugh. “I'm asking them to donate blood not give a kidney,” Clarke spat. Her mother frowned. 

“Clarke stop it. We are doing everything we can do,” Abby said folding her arms. “We are treating the grounders.” 

“Where's Marcus?” Clarke asked. Her mom paused. 

“He's down in security going over things while Raven and Wick work on the radios,” Abby sighed. 

Clarke marched out of the hospital wing and bee lined for the elevator. She went to the level and ran down the hall to the security center. She burst  
through the door making numerous people jump. 

“Clarke!” Raven exclaimed. 

“I'm looking for Marcus,” she said. 

“I'm right here, Clarke,” Marcus said moving out from behind a computer. “What do you need?” he asked. 

“You need to convince everyone to donate blood,” she stated. 

“Clarke, we already talked to everyone and they aren't comfortable-”

“That's why I said convince,” Clarke cut in. He shook his head. 

“I agreed with Abby that we weren't going to push our people. They are still dealing with everything and besides, there are more than enough grounders to donate.”

Clarke crossed her arms. That wasn't the point. It was about them all pitching in and helping each other. Not to mention what the grounders did was a  
lot more than what her people could have done. They might have medical knowledge, but without the alliance they were useless. 

“We are cremating the remaining sixteen people tonight,” Clarke said switching subjects. 

“No, I've decided we are going to bury them,” Marcus said in a calm voice. Clarke narrowed her eyes. 

“You realize that this alliance will crumble if we don't meet them half way,” Clarke reminded him. 

“It's not our custom,” he said. Clarke barked a laugh. 

“Our custom was ejecting the dead into space to burn up in the atmosphere,” she said incredulously. She resisted the urge to throw her hands in the air.

“Are you getting enough sleep?” he asked reaching out. Clarke pushed his hand away. 

“We are burning the dead as one,” Clarke said repeating Lexa's words. Marcus might be in charge of those from the Ark, but he was not the leader when  
it came to relations with the grounders. 

“Clarke,” he sighed. 

“It's final. I'm giving blood and then heading to the grounder camp,” Clarke said. She turned almost bumping into Raven. 

“How's the radio?” she asked. Her relationship with Raven had been strained since Finn's death, but was manageable when Raven started to understand  
what the grounders had prepared to do with Finn. 

“Uh fine...” Raven trailed off tucking her hands in her back pockets. “We are getting static form another radio and we are in the process of getting a location. But it's just static. We've got a message going out, but it's silent. Nothing new,” she said updating Clarke. 

While Clarke hoped there were more survivors from the Ark, she didn't want to deal with any more entitled sky people. 

“Get a message to me immediately if anything changes. I haven't talked to Lexa about the possibility of there being more of us, but she hasn't said anything either,” Clarke said. Raven nodded and moved to the side to let Clarke pass. 

********************************************************************

The fire seemed to reach up to the stars, clawing at the night sky. It crackled and popped spraying tiny sparks that danced at Clarke's feet. The fire was hotter then anything Clarke had felt before. But was surprised her was the roar. It sounded like a beast hungry and consuming everything in it's reach.  
Lexa stood directly to her left eyes on the fire in front of them. She'd given a lengthy speech in grounder before setting the pyre ablaze. Before that Clarke had spoken a few words for her people.  
“We are made of stardust and energy, Clarke,” Lexa said at last. “In death, our spirits seek out a new person worthy of our energy. And the rest is left to the stars.”  
“There are some spirits that need to stay in their bodies,” Clarke told her.  
“Like Bellamy?” Lexa asked. Clarke waited a moment staring into the white hot flames.  
“Like Bellamy,” she answered. Lexa smiled to herself.  
“His chart said critical,” Lexa said. Clarke nodded.  
“He will get better,” Clarke said trying to believe those words.  
“You can lead without him. You have proven yourself,” Lexa said.  
But Clarke didn't feel that way. She felt worn thin trying to keep everyone happy while dealing with her mom and Marcus making their own decisions without consulting her. She needed Bellamy to back her up and tell her that she was making the right choices.  
She wanted to cry.  
“I am glad you decided to do this,” Lexa continued. “I know how to sky people feel, as if we are inferior. Savages...”  
Clarke winced. “They don't-”  
Lea held up her hand. “Do not apologize for them. Some of my people see them as inferior as well as murderers,” Lexa said. “That is why moments like this are crucial. To show that we are allies.”  
“Yes,” Clarke agreed. Lexa turned to Clarke once more.  
“I will choose who donates blood in the morning. We go in groups so that not many are weakened at once,” Lexa said. Clarke nodded relieved. She'd been dizzy after donating and had to stand with the help of her mother. That had caused Lexa to be apprehensive, but Clarke proved that she could recover quickly enough.  
“It is going to really help,” Clarke insisted. Lexa smiled again nodding.  
“And then all this will be over,” Lexa added.  
And Clarke didn't like the sound of that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Would anyone be interested in chapters from Lexa's POV? Or keep it as Clarke's POV.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a really rough time writing this chapter, so I hope everyone likes it!

Clarke tugged her coat off throwing it on the bench in her tent. Someone had lit the fire in the center of the tent. Thin wisps of smoke floated up through the open flap at the top of the tent. Clarke stared at the fire for a moment, and then went back to being angry. 

She wasn't exactly sure why she was angry. 

She sat on her pallet yanking her shoes off and throwing them down. She ran a hand over her face and through her hair trying to calm down, but it was no use. 

Things weren't supposed to be this hard. 

She'd kept the grounders from killing everyone and yet her people continued to pull at the fragile ties of the alliance. Her people found something resembling home and decided they didn't need the grounders anymore. The acted like everything could go back to how it was. They were so used to thinking they were alone in the world that they were rejecting reality.

Maybe because they weren't viciously attacked upon arrival. No one was speared two hours after landing. They didn't deal with acid fog materializing in front of them. They weren't a bunch of kids. They didn't go hungry or thirsty. They didn't run through the woods being chased by swords and arrows. 

They were attacked by biological warfare. 

“They were never attacked,” Clarke said miserably. 

She put her head in her hands. An alliance was what Finn had wanted and it cost him his life. 

Clarke tried to remember when she first met Anya on the bridge.

It felt like years ago now. 

And Anya was dead as well.

Clarke lay back pulling the covers up over her head. It was time for her people to wake up and realize there was no room for their sheltered life anymore.   
Were they planning to just hole up in the mountain and forget the outside existed? Probably. They didn't believe there were people on Earth, so what was   
a few more hundred years of ignorance? 

Clarke fell asleep dreaming of wild animals ripping her apart while every one watched idly. 

*******************************************************************

Clarke snapped awake sitting up fast. It took her a moment to remember she was in her tent. In her dream she'd been on the Ark. But no, it was just familiar animal skin walls, a pile of furs and blankets for sleep, and the smoldering remains of the fire in the center of her tent. 

She got up slowly, stretching her arms before putting on her jacket. She put her boots on and then washed her hands and face. 

She grabbed the gloves off the bench before leaving the tent. 

It was well past dawn. It had to be at least mid morning Clarke thought staring up at the sky. She pulled the gloves on looking around. The camp was   
nearly empty. There were a handful of grounders around the fire chatting away. 

She approached them. “Where's Lexa?” Clarke demanded. The grounders turned to them, one speaking in grounder to the others. He stood up stowing a   
knife in his belt. 

“The Commander,” he stressed, “is at the mountain. We were ordered to let you sleep,” he explained. Clarke crossed her arms. While the extra sleep probably did her good, she could only think of the chaos going on in the mountain. 

“I need to go there now,” she said flatly. The grounder nodded. He walked towards where the horses were kept. Clarke swallowed her fear. She could not be afraid of a horse when there were other more important matters. 

“The Commander left you a coat. She says you need it.” 

Clarke huffed. “The Commander thinks I need a lot of things,” she muttered. 

There were two horses in the pen, both brown and both shifty looking with their beady eyes. The grounder held the reigns as she, less than gracefully, pulled herself up on to the mutated animal. She watched the grounder mount his horse with ease and felt a wave of jealousy wash over her. 

She'd get better. 

 

Raven stood outside waiting for Clarke. “We're on lock down, something happened in medical,” Raven said quickly as Clarke dismounted. 

“What? What happened?” Clarke demanded rushing inside. Raven tried to keep up. 

“I don't know. Grounders went up there to give blood and then suddenly alarms were going off. I decided to wait for you instead of going in. A group of our soldiers are guarding the rest of the grounders until we get word from the Chancellor.”

Clarke wanted to scream. This was bound to happen since she wasn't around to be liaison. Her people didn't listen to the grounders and they didn't trust her people. It was her keeping the peace. 

She burst through the door to the medical floor to find Lexa with a knife at her mothers throat and guards with their guns pointed at Lexa and the other, unarmed, grounders. 

“What happened!” Clarke shouted. 

“Clarke listen I didn't do-” Abby started to say. 

“Liar!” Lexa cried. “You took our blood and gave it to your people! All of it! After you said blood was not going to help them!” 

“Mom!” Clarke snapped. “Everyone weapons down!” Lexa let go of Abby, but it took a nod from Abby for the sky people to lower their weapons. “What happened?”

“We needed to try with our people,” Abby insisted. 

“Did any of the grounders get a transfusion?” Clarke asked. Her mother hesitated. 

Clarke ran her hands through her hair. “We said we'd help them,” Clarke said annoyed. “That was our understanding.”

“But Clarke we need to do everything we can for our people,” Abby said standing her ground. Clarke looked at Lexa who was obviously angered. 

“The grounders are people too and they need help. I would have thought you'd be able to make that choice yourself.” Clarke glared at her mother. 

A grounder said something to Lexa. She put her knife away while looking at Clarke. 

“We need to be able to carry our weapons,” Lexa stated. 

“No,” Clarke said quickly. “From now on, no weapons inside the mountain. Someone is going to die and whoever did it will say it's an accident even though it won't be. I don't want that. Now give the rest of the transfusions to the grounders,” Clarke said calmly, but harshly. Her mother looked from   
Clarke to the soldiers. 

“Okay Clarke,” her mom said. Clarke was relieved. “Guns will go back in their cases,” she said to the soldiers. 

“Thank you,” Clarke said. “Raven go report this news to everyone else,” Clarke instructed. Raven rolled her eyes, but nodded and left. 

Clarke surveyed the room. She couldn't believe that none of the grounders had received transfusions. And yet she felt like she should have see it coming.   
Clarke turned and left the room. She needed to get out and get far away. 

She wanted to run back to where it was safe. 

But there was no safety here. 

And she'd never be safe because she was from the sky and those from the sky were the enemy. 

“Clarke!” Lexa called from down the hall. Clarke stopped and waited for her to catch up. 

“I'm not mad,” Clarke said before Lexa spoke. 

“I am,” she said, “and you should be too.”

“Why?” Clarke asked trying not to sound skeptical. 

“Somethings don't work unless you force them too,” Lexa told her. 

“Like this alliance,” Clarke laughed. Right now it all felt like a cruel joke. How they managed to make it this far was a miracle. “What happens when all this is over and your people go home?” 

“The honest answer?” Lexa asked. Clarke nodded. “Your people stay here and stay in the shadows. I don't want to deal with them ever again.”

“I can't live here,” Clarke said softly. “I can barely stand being in this mountain now,” Clarke admitted. 

“What are you proposing? Clarke of the sky people,” Lexa said turning to face Clarke. 

Clarke looked at her. She didn't know. “I don't belong anywhere,” Clarke said at least. She was surprised by her choice of words, but they were true. “And Bellamy won't either...” 

“Let's go outside,” Lexa said. Clarke looked at her confused. “Let's go,” she said again heading for the elevator. 

“I can't leave everyone here,” Clarke exclaimed. 

“Yes you can,” Lexa said pressing the buttons in the elevator. 

 

The walked out of the mountain. It had warmed up considerably and the sun was high in the sky. “You are smart Clarke, smarter then most your people,” Lexa started. “When I was younger I was told stories of the demons in the sky. How they thought themselves above those on Earth and thus destroyed it.   
They were supposed to be vile creatures. There were stories about how sometimes a sky demon would fall to Earth and you were to kill it before it destroyed the Earth again...” Lexa trailed off. 

“And that's what we did,” Clarke finished. Lexa nodded. 

“And that's what you did,” Lexa repeated. “Except you were human.”

“What?” Clarke asked. 

“We were told you were monsters like the Mountain Men, but you were all just humans. And all the important reports were about you. That you were the one to watch. Anya met you on at bridge on my command to test your character. It was after your use of guns that I decided to rid the world of sky demons.”

“So then why am I here?” Clarke asked her. Lexa smiled to herself. 

“We train our men to be warriors and our women to be leaders. No matter how much hate I have for the clan, I will honor a good leader. It's what I was taught,” Lexa explained. “That is why we are here.”

“You've done this before. Allied with people you hated,” Clarke said catching on. 

“Mmm,” Lexa hummed neither confirming nor denying. 

“So many people have died,” Clarke said sadly. 

“Let's hope this is the end of the killing,” Lexa said but didn't sound convinced. Clarke sighed looking at the ground. Maybe they were demons. Her   
ancestors had tried to obliterate the world. It'd been easy to accept when they thought no one survived. 

But people had.

And people had suffered. 

“We should go back inside,” Clarke said at last. 

“I think you know where you belong, Clarke,” Lexa said giving her a small smile. “You just have to figure it out.”

Clarke sighed. She didn't have time to figure it out. 

“With tension being so high, I don't have time to think about it,” Clarke said laughing sadly. She listened to her laughter fade off in the mountains. 

“Clarke, regardless of whether or not you are aware of it, you made the choice a long time ago,” Lexa added turning back towards Mount Weather. 

Clarke didn't want to go inside. She wanted to be out in the sunshine... 

“I'm not a grounder,” Clarke called after Lexa. At least she wasn't the same kind of grounder. 

“But are you one of the sky people?” she asked. 

By birth she was, but Clarke had never felt like she belonged in space. Her entire life she'd dreamed of the sky. 

“No,” she admitted. 

It was like a weight off her chest to say it. Her mother would hate to hear those words. All her people would hate them, but it was true. She didn't belong   
with them in their safety mountain. She wanted to be outside running through the mud with the heat of the sun on her back and fresh air filling her lungs. 

Lexa turned and smiled at Clarke before disappearing into Mount Weather. Clarke took a deep breath. 

“I am not part of Skaikru,” Clarke whispered to herself. “I am a grounder.” While her loyalty mostly lay with her people, to say those words out loud caused elation to rush through her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The just chapter is going to be Lexa's POV. Ge excited!


	4. Chapter 4

The mountain was unnatural. It was filled with items they'd only seen in books. The mountain had electricity. It had weapons. It had medical equipment. All the stories told to little ones had been about places like the mountain, about buildings that touched the sky and were full of shining lights and computers and information. But they were told all of that was gone. The sky demons took it away with fire and bullets and left a path of suffering and agony. 

Lexa had memorized the inside of the mountain, but other then having the escapes mapped out, the limited knowledge of the Trigedakru was putting them at a disadvantage. She read over the charts twice a day incase there was a change. Their language didn't have a written or reading component. It was all spoken or depicted with images. She learned to read while going through training and learning English, but writing was never taught. She could copy signs and words, but her writing looked nothing like the writing in the charts. 

Nyko and another healer, Nam, had expressed their distress when trying to learn the Skaikru healing methods. Skaikru used machines and needles and vials filled with colored liquids. Trigedakru used plants and herbs and fire. 

Lexa did not ask questions unless in a private discussion with Clarke. She would hold her head high and assume knowledgeable because if she didn't the Skaikru would try to go behind her back like they did earlier. 

With blood transfusions, her people were starting to become more alert. They had questions, but her warriors were told to give simple answers. They needed to heal rather then worry about her choices regarding Skaikru.

“Heda,” Nam called. Lexa closed the file in her hands and turned to him. “It is time to go back to camp,” he said in Trigedasleng. 

Lexa nodded, putting the file away. “Where is Clarke?” she demanded from her warriors. There were murmurs among them for a moment and then one spoke explaining Clarke was already outside. 

Lexa swept past those who waited by their horses. She nodded to Clarke and then pulled herself up onto her horse. 

“How is riding alone?” Lexa asked watching Clarke hide her struggling. 

“It's fine, Lexa,” Clarke said pulling on her gloves. Lexa smiled signaling for the group to ride. 

 

It felt better to be back in the camp. 

But it'd feel better to be home. 

Lexa dismounted and held Clarke's reigns so the horse wouldn't move while she got down. The Trigedakru chattered around her eager to hear reports from the day. 

Lexa walked to the center of the camp. He warriors were hungry and tired, but she had good news for them. “Most of our people,” she spoke in English for Clarke's benefit, “are recovering with the help of transfusions. They are producing healthy blood cells,” she said repeating words Clarke and Abby had used. “As they wake up and get stronger it is important that we record which village they are from. I will then send riders to those villages and have everyone returned.”

The Trigedakru erupted in cheers. Lexa smiled proudly. The Mountain Men were no longer a threat. Their people would not be captured and used until dead. 

“The Reapers are being taken care of in the lower part of the mountain. We do not have updates on them,” Clarke added when the cheering died down. Questions were called out to her in Trigedasleng. 

“They want to know when,” Lexa translated. 

“Tomorrow,” Clarke said loudly. “Tomorrow I will get updates.”

“Go and eat!” Lexa ordered. 

 

Lexa tried not to think about how vulnerable the Trigedakru were after taking such a huge hit army wise. Clarke killed 300, the mountain took another 100... it was not a good position to be in. She picked at her food while surveying the map in front of her. While there was an alliance between the closest 12 clans, a weakened army was still a bad situation. 

Then there was the fact that she did not kill the sky people. Other clans could easily choose to hold that against her and their alliance. If they knew what had happened they'd call her weak, even though they couldn't have done anything differently. 

Perhaps she should have ordered a slaughter instead of reports...

“Lexa?” Clarke called entering the tent. 

“Hmm?” Lexa hummed without looking up. She'd have to do a lot of reorganization of troops and patrols. 

“What happens when this is over?” Clarke asked. Lexa looked at her. 

“Your people stay in the mountain and don't get in our way,” Lexa deadpanned. Clarke sighed. 

“About earlier...” Clarke trailed off looking to Lexa.

“I don't have answers Clarke. That is a question you need to answer,” Lexa said. She was being straight forward. She knew Clarke was questioning where she belonged, but Lexa wasn't about to offer her a spot among the Trigedakru. If Clarke wanted to run with them, she had to prove that she wanted to be there. They weren't the sky people. Things were different. 

Very different. 

“Is that a map?” Clarke asked to change the subject. Lexa eyed Clarke, but nodded. 

“It is,” she said closing it. She didn't need to expose the rest of their lands to Clarke. If the Skaikru decided they were going to move there was no telling what would happen. Lexa couldn't offer them protection because adding them to her clan would just cause issues. 

“Oh,” Clarke said. “Don't let me sleep later,” Clarke added. 

“It was necessary,” Lexa explained. 

“Why? So you could go into the mountain and pull out a knife?” Clarke argued. Lexa crossed her arms. 

“So that you don't die from exhaustion. I am not a healer, but I know the signs,” Lexa snapped. Clarke frowned. 

“I'm not exhausted,” she said through gritted teeth. Lexa rolled her eyes. 

“You are no good to anyone dead,” Lexa said. 

“I don't plan on dying,” Clarke said with a sarcastic laugh. 

“Good,” Lexa told her. “Anything else?” 

Clarke hesitated when she asked, but simply shook her head. Lexa briefly wondered what had crossed her mind. Clarke turned to leave, Lexa remained in her spot watching Clarke. 

“Wait,” Clarke said stopping just before opening the tent flap. 

“What?” Lexa asked. Clarke didn't turn around. 

“Did you feel anything for those people that died?” Clarke asked softly. 

Lexa paused pursing her lips. Her position didn't allow much room for empathy. It didn't allow for emotion period because emotions clogged the mind and kept people from making the right choice. 

“Yes,” she said speaking the truth. “But compassion for the dead does not serve a purpose.”

“Oh course,” Clarke said sounding bitter. “How many people have you lost? Personally?” Clarke asked turning to look at Lexa. 

“A few, but not a significant amount,” Lexa said. It was another honest answer and saying it, their images flashed through her mind. They were people she only allowed herself to think of for brief moments when the sunset was right or the stars were particularly bright. But those times were rare.

And she'd told Clarke. Love was weakness. 

No matter what kind of love. 

“Right, Costia,” Clarke said quietly nodding to herself. Lexa didn't even blink at the mention of the name. 

“And others,” she added. When she was younger she had loved many; family, friends, teachers, mentors... and many of them were gone now. 

“And nothing? You feel nothing?” Clarke asked. Lexa watched as she played with the clasp of the watch around her wrist. 

“Nothing,” Lexa said simply. “What about you?” It was a question she hadn't asked for a long time. She'd rather stay out of others personal business. But she could tell from the way Clarke played with the watch it was on the tip of her tongue.

“Just one,” Clarke said after she'd taken a moment to compose herself. Lexa watched her hands fall to her sides. “But it's as you said before,” Clarke said. Her speech was stiff and Lexa knew she was lying, at least a little bit. Lexa cared for her people as Commander. Clarke cared for her people as a friend. “I'm going now,” Clarke announced. Lexa nodded. 

“Okay, Clarke,” Lexa said and she was gone. Lexa smiled to herself. Clarke was more guarded then she had been earlier. Perhaps seeing another day with Bellamy in his condition was weighing on her...

Lexa began pulling the buckle's on her armor open and taking off each piece. 

“Heda!” Indra barged into the tent looking disgusted. 

“What?” Lexa asked in Trigedasleng. She took her knife out of her belt and stuck it into the small table. 

“You should not be alone with that Skai-”

“Clarke,” Lexa interrupted. “I trust Clarke.”

“As you have stated,” Indra said bitterly.

“What is your business?” Lexa asked. It was late. 

“What comes next?” Indra asked. “They cannot stay here.”

“They will have the mountain,” Lexa explained. “I will draw perimeters and then they will stay inside those lines.”

“And if the do not stay?” Indra stressed as if they wouldn't. Lexa didn't know if they would. She was pretty sure the majority of the Skaikru would be   
content with the mountain, but people like Clarke and those who suffered there, it'd be harder to get them to stay. 

“They will have the rules stated clearly. We let them live in their mountain and they cause us no trouble. Or they die,” Lexa said. The rules would be simple enough, but Skaikru had many problems with following the rules. “Will Octavia leave with you?” 

“Octavia is loyal to me and to you,” Indra said. “She will run with me until she is ready.” 

“She is Skaikru,” Lexa reminded her. Indra narrowed her eyes. 

“I do not need to be reminded, Commander.” Indra said slowly. 

“And I do not need to be bothered with petty worries. You're dismissed,” Lexa said. Indra stood still for a moment before turning and leaving. 

Lexa removed the rest of her armor and her boots before lying down on her pallet. She ran over the positions of her guards and scouts and various groups of her warriors in her head. After the Skaikru got settled in their mountain, she'd call a meeting of the alliance. Since the mountain fell in Trigedakru land, her land, she could guarantee their safety inside her lines. 

Not that she wanted to, but slaughter had been out of the question for awhile. They had helped put an end to the mountain and they were owed that respect even though it was mostly thanks to her army. 

Upon calling an alliance meeting she'd have Clarke attend, Bellamy if he recovered, Abby, and Kane. She considered having Raven as well since she worked with the radios, but too much technology could be a bad thing. And even if Clarke decided to leave her people... Lexa didn't like to waste time fantasizing, but since it was a possibility she considered it a proper issue to consider. If Clarke left her people Lexa still trusted her to be the best voice for them. 

If Clarke left. 

If Clarke left. 

The sentence echoed in her head in a less than amusing way. 

===============================================================

Lexa woke to rain. It had coaxed her out of a peaceful dream about riding along the dunes of the Dead Zone. She rarely was required to go out that far.   
But in her dream she'd been riding on the edge, where the sand mixed with the soil and scrub brush. The heat from the sun baked the Earth beneath her and warmed her face.

And she'd been riding with Clarke. 

There had been no dialogue in her dream, but there'd been understanding. Clarke had joined her for an exploration of Lexa's land. She'd started with the Dead Zone. She hadn't needed to explain to Clarke that it went on and on into the horizon forever. Whatever lands lay beyond it were gone. Even the rumored City of Light was just a child's fairytale. 

But now Lexa lay on her pallet staring at the material of her tent. It'd been decorated with woven linen which reminded her of her home. 

She briefly wondered if Clarke would ever see her home and then decided it was better if she never did. 

Lexa got up and washed her face and changed her shirt. While her tent was warm, Lexa knew outside would be cold and damp. She tied her hair up before putting her coat and armor on. She hated with her long curls got snagged in the buckles. That was one of the benefits of having someone help   
her, but she hadn't wanted to bring those people with her while on the move. 

The final touch was her sash. She clasped the buckle and let her hair down. 

 

“Commander!” Lexa was surprised to hear Octavia call for her attention. It was drizzling, but the riders were getting ready to move anyway. 

“Yes?” she asked. There was no sign of Clarke yet. 

“There was news on the radio. Raven said they got into some archives and... she said it's stuff you need to see,” Octavia informed her. 

“I thought Clarke was the only one with a radio,” Lexa said thinking more about what could be important for her to see. 

“I got one so that I could be updated on Bellamy,” Octavia explained. Lexa nodded. “He's still not awake, but is showing signs that he might be improving,” Octavia said hopefully. Lexa refrained from telling her she shouldn't waste time on hopes. 

Probably because she knew Clarke hoped too, for everyone to recover, but especially for Bellamy. Lexa smiled sadly. 

“Tell Indra to be ready to ride and get Clarke,” Lexa said. Octavia nodded. “And tell her to wear a better coat,” she added before walking off towards the horses. She passed Clarke's tent, but did not stop. Lexa could send the message, but everything inside of her told her not to deliver it personally. 

Even if she wanted to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really excited about writing the next part. Not sure whose POV it will be yet though. Hope everyone liked a bit of Lexa's POV.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah, I don't know what I just wrote, but I hope everyone likes it and is on board. 
> 
> Also mentions of character death, so proceed with caution,

Clarke stood with Lexa in the control room. Raven stood at the front waiting for Kane to shut the door. 

“These archives go back about seventy years,” Raven said pulling up a video. “They are all video logs and I... we didn't watch all of them, just the first few,” Raven said and clicked play. 

“This is Officer Jon West,” and older man accounted. “Today we caught and trapped one of the humans from the outside. The doctor is still running tests. It looks human, but this is the thing it was protecting.”

The camera moved to a figure lying on a white table. It was about the size of a child but was grossly misshapen and deformed. 

“A stain,” Lexa muttered. 

Clarke stared at the image. The child was naked and had a bullet wound in their chest. It was obvious that the officer had killed them. 

“The woman we caught was speaking, but we couldn't understand her. Other officers are trying to locate the nest. We've recorded at least twelve of these humans out in the woods.”

The video ended and Clarke took a deep breath. 

“It get's worse,” Raven said pulling up another video. She skipped ahead before pressing play. 

“We captured fifteen, most of them mutants. Nine of them are things and there are six humans. All have been kept alive for testing. The doc says it's amazing, that their bodies are metabolizing the high levels of radiation. Apparently the gross looking ones are due to deformities caused by the radiation. I think we should just kill them all, but the doc wants them alive.”

“And this log is from the next day,” Raven said clicking a third video. 

“A bunch of the savages attacked us today with bows and arrows and shit. They think they are damn natives, but we easily took care of them with our guns. Mowed down about ten or so. We were told there's been sightings of more humans out there and we are ordered to bring in as many as possible. The doctor gave us this medicine he made after his experiments and I've never felt this great. He says their bodies have great healing potentials for us, so we've got to start rounding them up if we want to keep feeling good. I don't think it'll be a problem.” 

The room was silent. Clarke looked between Raven and Lexa. For 70 years they'd been bleeding the grounders. It was a lot to stomach... not to mention those that were deformed. 

“There is a story called After the Dust Settled, that they tell us when we are children. It's about the years after the war. The days after the bombs stopped and the fires died and the sun shone again,” Lexa said staring at the screen. “All those who survived were badly burned and sick because of the radiation. Most of the healthy survivors were children. But even they didn't live long. The average person lived until twenty five years. Most of the children born after the war looked like that.   
Deformed and misshapen and grotesque...” Lexa trailed off and turned to Clarke. “Now they are called stains and are removed from the bloodline. But they are our ancestors.”

“I think it's a miracle you weren't wiped out,” Abby interjected. Lexa looked over to her. 

“There were a lot of us,” Lexa said simply. “Way more then they thought. A lot of children, mostly children, survived the war. They lived in the subways and eventually moved to the ground.”

“So your people didn't move?” Clarke asked. As far as she knew, the incident with Mount Weather was isolated to the area. 

“And go where? This was our home. Everywhere else was uninhabitable or taken by another clan,” Lexa told Clarke. “They were children, everything they had known was gone. When my people started going above ground they were met with guns.”

Clarke was silent. Lexa's people survived the nuclear holocaust and her people had caused it. Trying to imagine children trying to survive after the world was destroyed... Clarke almost laughed. It was probably like when they were dropped to Earth. Except those children had to be terrified; living every day in fear of more bombs. Caring for the sick and dying...

“What happens with stains now?” Kane asked interrupting Clarke's thoughts. 

“They are given back to the earth,” Lexa said without missing a beat. 

“So you leave them to die?” he asked. 

“It is our way and the only way we can grow stronger,” Lexa said defensively. 

“When did it start?” Clarke asked looking back at the screen. 

“Before I was born. Thirty years ago? Maybe forty. It is not something discussed,” Lexa explained. 

Clarke didn't know what to think. It was old fashioned, survival of the fittest. The people in the video, even if they lived it wasn't for long. Their bodies appeared too damaged. But was it a service to kill them right away and not give them a chance? Clarke wasn't sure. They'd never been faced with the issue on the Ark. There was always a cure or a solution. Something... 

“Is there anything else in the archives?” Lexa asked shortly. Raven shook her head. 

“After that it's just years of monitoring and capturing your people. Most of the footage is recent though and recorded after the Drop Ship landed,” Raven explained. Lexa nodded and turned to Clarke. 

“I need to see my people now,” Lexa said. Clarke nodded stepping out of her way. 

“I'll be there shortly,” Clarke called after her. She looked back at Raven and then to her mom. 

“The grounders are actively killing babies,” Abby said in disgust. Clarke sighed. She didn't agree with it, but she didn't want to fixate on something she had no chance   
of changing. 

“Survival of the fittest,” Clarke said. Her mom folded her arms. 

“It's barbaric,” she said flatly. 

“What choice did they have though,” Raven piped up. Clarke turned. “They are all about warriors and survival.”

“it can't be changed,” Clarke said cutting Raven off. “I don't want to worry about it. Is there information on the reapers?” Clarke asked. Raven shook her head. 

“Nothing, not even in the classified files,” Raven told her. 

“Classified?” Kane asked, interested. Raven nodded. 

“It's detailed reports on the experiments done on the grounders and profiles on everyone in Mount Weather,” Raven said opening the file. Clarke turned from the screen. She didn't want to read about the experiments. The thought made her stomach churn. 

“I'll be on the medical floor,” Clarke said heading for the door. “Tell me if you find anything else.”

 

The elevator ride felt too short. Clarke wanted time to think over the information they'd just learned. Their people had been disappearing for years and they were free. They were finally free. 

“Clarke!” Octavia called from down the hall. Her heart jumped. “It's Jasper. He's awake,” she said. Clarke took a deep breath to relax. Jasper was awake. 

Clarke entered the hospital wing and headed straight for Jasper's bed. She barely glanced at Lexa who was talking to a grounder woman. 

“Jasper,” Clarke said with tears burning her eyes. She was relieved. 

“Clarke,” he said slowly. His eyes were dark and his entire body sagged into the bed. “They killed Maya,” he said flatly not looking at her. 

“I don't remember-”

“It was before,” Jasper whispered. “We'd taken level five and they knew she was helping... they didn't let her back in,” he said his voice cracking. Clarke took Jasper's hands. She didn't know what to say, but the gesture felt right. “They retook it though. We weren't strong enough... the mountain was searching for Bellamy,” he hiccuped. 

“Jasper... you don't have to tell me now,” Clarke said softly. 

“No I do! Because I lived!” he shouted wiping his eyes on his sleeve. “We were caged and they started immediate extraction... one by one they were killed and drained,” he sobbed. “And they took him away from me,” Jasper choked out. 

Clarke's eyes burned. She'd been ignoring the absence of Monty. When he hadn't been recovered, she'd buried the shame she felt. They hadn't been fast enough. They hadn't gotten there soon enough. 

“They changed it up, they took samples and mixed them. It made it even stronger apparently,” Jasper said miserably. “He was in the change above me... and six days ago he took his last breath above me,” Jasper said hollowly. Tears streamed down his cheeks. His hands were limp in Clarke's. 

“Jasper...” Clarke tried, but she had no words. 

“Just... go Clarke... it's obvious people are waiting for you,” Jasper said in a monotone. Clarke looked over her shoulder at Lexa. She sighed, but stood up. 

“Lexa...” she said wiping her eyes. “Lexa we don't have news about the reapers yet,” Clarke told her. Lexa nodded looking at Jasper. 

“My grounders want to know when they can leave,” she said turning her attention to Clarke. 

“Um when the doctors clear them, so a few days at most?” Clarke said unsure. Lexa nodded. 

“The war is over. You can mourn your dead now,” Lexa added. 

Mourn. If she mourned she'd never stop. There were too many people lost. There was too much blood on her hands. If she mourned for them now, then she would break. 

Clarke shook her head. “I'm fine,” Clarke reassured her. The look in Lexa's eyes told Clarke she didn't believe her, but Lexa nodded anyway. 

“Clarke!” it was Raven in the doorway. Clarke smiled sadly. She was getting tired of people yelling her name because there was rarely a good reason behind it. 

“What?” she asked composing herself as she walked. Raven stood in the doorway out of breath and leaning on the frame taking weight off her bad leg. 

“Someone answered our radio call that we sent out to the other parts of the Ark,” Raven said quickly. 

“What?” Clarke asked in disbelief. But Raven shook her head. 

“Whoever was on the other end said they were captured or dead,” she said softly. 

“Who was on the radio, Raven?” Clarke demanded. 

But it was Lexa who answered, “Wastelanders.”

“What?” Clarke asked. 

“Their is a bounty on Sky People. It's how we found Jaha,” Lexa explained. “Take me to the radio,” Lexa said sharply. Raven looked at Clarke. 

“Wait Lexa, what are you going to say?” Clarke asked. “We need to save our people if they are out there.”

“If they have not been turned in for the bounty then they are probably lost,” Lexa said dismissively. 

“No!” Clarke snapped grabbing Lexa's arm and dragging her away from the door. Lexa yanked her arm free. 

“They are gone,” Lexa hissed. 

“There has to be a way!” Clarke exclaimed. Lexa stared at her for a long time. “We could negotiate or something!” Clarke added, but Lexa rolled her eyes. 

“I do not negotiate with wastelanders,” she said sternly.

“I need you too,” Clarke said standing tall. She would insist, but she would not beg. Clarke folded her arms trying to read Lexa. She continued to stare at Clarke   
intensely and pursed her lips. 

Finally, Lexa set her jaw. 

“I make no promises, but I will talk to the wastelanders,” she said through gritted teeth. “But understand that if I say it is a lost cause then it is a lost cause.” She then turned and swept out of the room leaving Clarke partially stunned. 

She had managed to sway Lexa without much of a fight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I SWEAR TO GOD THIS IS A LOVE STORY. They just have to go on some wild adventures and fall in love and it's going to be magical and awesome I swear. I hope this chapter didn't turn anyone away from my story. Next chapter will be Lexa's POV.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Struggled a bit to write this, so I hope everyone likes it!

Lexa swept through the halls with Clarke hot on her heels. Wastelanders. The thought disgusted her. They plagued the Dead Zone pretending they ruled the world when all they did was rape and slaughter. 

People risked their lives in the Dead Zone and she knew that all of them died or joined ranks with the wastelanders. Scouts reported such incidents when they happened near the boundary. They were outcasts and there wasn't room for bending to their will. If she did, then they would think her weak and attack. She'd lost too many warriors for that to happen. 

The wastelanders could never think they might be able to bleed back into the territory surrounding the Dead Zone. They were cast out for a reason. 

“Where is the radio!” Lexa demanded coming to an abrupt halt. Clarke nearly ran into her. 

“Lexa wants to talk to the people on the other end,” Clarke said trying to mask how out of breath she was. Lexa rolled her eyes. 

“I am speaking to them on request,” she corrected giving Clarke a quick glance. 

“Grounder princess sure moves with purpose,” Raven muttered entering the room and limping to a chair. 

“Can you make a deal with them, Lexa?” Abby asked. 

“There is already a deal and they have chosen to not accept,” Lexa said moving to the radio speaker Raven held up. 

“But they have our people!” Abby exclaimed. “After everything we've done for you and your people I would have thought-”

“Without our help your people would be dead,” Lexa said flatly. She held the radio looking around the room. Everyone was waiting intently for her to speak. She set her jaw. “Who is on this radio?” she asked in Trigedasleng. 

Silence. 

Lexa was ready to leave it at that, but static erupted on the other end followed by a voice. “Who is with the Sky People?” a garbled voice asked. It sounded like they   
were taking through a mask. 

“Trigedakru.”

“Trigrdakru, Trigedakru... along the western edge,” the voice mused. 

“Give me the Skaikru,” Lexa demanded. 

“For a better price,” the voice said. 

“The price set is fair,” she said sternly. 

“These people offer more to us then the bounty. They are ours. Find your own Skaikru,” the person paused to laugh and then continues. “It sounds like you have.”

Then the line went dead. Lexa handed the radio back. 

“No deal. They want the sky people,” Lexa said dismissively. Clarke frowned. 

“You didn't even try,” she said bitterly. 

“They said no,” Lexa said in a harsh voice. She stared intently at Clarke. She had lowered herself enough by speaking on the radio. 

“There has to be a way. Jaha is in the Dead Zone.” Abby stated. Lexa let out an annoyed groan. 

“Jaha is likely dead. You do not survive the Dead Zone unless you are taken in as wastelander,” Lexa explained. She didn't know what they weren't understanding. Yes, they'd been able to march on Mount Weather and free their people. But at what price? “The Dead Zone is miles across. I cannot send warriors out there to mindlessly search for a place that is a myth.”

“We aren't asking you to find the City of Light,” Clarke muttered. 

“And where else would they be?” Lexa asked. “We are done. Send your people, but I will not aid this endeavor.” Lexa walked past Clarke into the hallway and headed for the elevator. Clarke followed closely and Lexa assumed she planned to trap her in the elevator. 

“Lexa,” Clarke said in a softer voice when the doors to the elevator shut. 

“What?” Lexa asked keeping her voice flat and stern. 

“They are our people, my people. I can't just leave them out there,” Clarke said with a sigh. 

“You don't even know if they actually have your people. I gain nothing by helping you this time. This is a mission for Sky People alone,” Lexa told Clarke. Clarke sighed again turning to look at her. 

“I guess I can't really imagine it happening either. Riding out into the Dead Zone... saving everyone. I already did that,” Clarke said sounding tired. 

“Sadly, there is always someone to save here,” Lexa said in a softer voice. 

“What is the Dead Zone?” Clarke asked holding the door open for Lexa. 

“It is a place where the bombs hit the ground. They wiped out everything. Tree, homes, people, all turned to dust. The area bleeds out into the ocean. It used to be nearby according to the stories. But now it is far, far away.”

“Bombs dropped from us,” Clarke added. Lexa nodded. 

“The sky was full of fire thanks to the sky demons,” Lexa said heading outside of the mountain. 

Outside the air was heavy and cold. The wind carried the scent of snow and fire. 

“Aren't any of your people out there?” Clarke asked. 

“Once you enter the Dead Zone you are no longer Trigedakru. They do not come back. Ever,” Lexa said. Every so often she'd be alerted of another family having left for the Dead Zone when they were unable to give up a stain. But very few of those people had she known personally. And she'd been taught not to mourn them.   
Leaving was their choice. They broke the laws. 

Clarke was frowning again. 

“There you are!” Abby shouted bursting through the door. Both girls turned in unison. “You left before Raven could say that while Lexa was on the radio she tracked   
where the signal was coming from,” Abby said excitedly. Clarke lit up. 

“There's a location?” she asked eagerly. Lexa folded her arms. 

“Yes. Somewhere Northeast of here,” Abby said to Clarke. She looked at Lexa. “Your people don't have to come. We discussed it. We can do this on our own.”  
Clarke looked confused. Lexa narrowed her eyes. 

“You think you can carelessly go stomping around Earth?” Lexa challenged. She was annoyed. All the Skaikru were the same. They thought the land was theirs. They had no respect for rules or traditions. “This is not your land,” Lexa spat. Clarke reached out taking her arm before she moved. 

“Mom we need to discuss this,” Clarke explained. 

“If you go into the Dead Zone you die!” Lexa roared. “You do not save your people!” she wrenched away from Clarke heading back inside. 

“Lexa!” Clarke called walking after her. Lexa paused by the door and looked at Clarke over her shoulder. 

“Tomorrow I will show you the Dead Zone and you will learn why you will die,” she whispered. Clarke let her go with a nod and Lexa went to the elevator. 

In anger, she slammed her fist against the buttons. People only went into the Dead Zone. They did not leave it. Ever. 

====================================================================================

“I thought you didn't go into the Dead Zone,” Clarke said almost mockingly. Lexa rolled her eyes. 

“Think of this as the cusp,” Lexa told her. It was three hours past dawn and the forest was just a smudge on the horizon behind them. Lexa and Clarke were boxed in by four warriors from Trigedakru. “This is, for intents and purposes, neutral territory.”

It was still quite cold, but there was a specific dry heat that clogged the air of the Dead Zone. Every breath felt like a mouthful of sand. But that's all there was in the   
Dead Zone. Miles and miles of sand. It was fairly flat where their horses had walked, but Lexa had explained that eventually it would dip down in craters and dunes as high as the sky would rise up out of the haze. 

“The breeze may be cool, but the sun bakes the sand every day. There is no shade in the Dead Zone. There is no water,” Lexa explained bringing her horse to a halt.   
She watched Clarke look down into the crater they stood on the edge of and look out over the rough surface of the Dead Zone. All around the was sand. Every   
direction looked the same. 

“We have maps,” Clarke said looking around her. Lexa set her jaw. Clarke still did not get it. 

“People die of dehydration. Of starvation. Of exposure,” Lexa said emphasizing each word. “A map will not save you.”

“Then what do you want me to do Lexa?” Clarke snapped. 

“Forget the-”

“They are my people!” Clarke interrupted.

“They are gone!” Lexa shouted. “Concentrate on healing your people in the mountain. Start making a home. Do anything Clarke! Anything but go out into the Dead Zone!” 

Clarke blinked at Lexa taken aback. Lexa took a breath, recomposing herself. 

“There are other things that need to be done, Clarke,” she said in a calm tone, turning her horse and starting back towards the trees. Clarke said nothing. Lexa didn't know if she was shocked or thinking, but she wasn't in the mood to ask and hear another ridiculous idea. Lexa briefly considered making Clarke walk back to the forest, but she decided against making Clarke the enemy. 

The ride to the mountain was silent. Lexa could feel Clarke's eyes on her, but she kept her gaze forward. There was nothing left to say. It was clear everything would turn into an argument. Lexa couldn't decide if Clarke's desire to save her people was noble or stupid. She was leaning towards stupid. She, nor the Skaikru, had a   
clear understanding of Earth. They'd lived in their space ship admiring and longing for an Earth they had destroyed a long time ago...

“I can't live in Mount Weather,” Clarke muttered to Lexa as they dismounted. 

Lexa said nothing as she followed Clarke inside. Clarke was blinded by loyalty. There was a clear second option to living in the mountain that was not a suicide mission.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm doing my best to post once a week, but it's not a set schedule. Next up Clarke's POV. What will she do???


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a bit short, but hope you enjoy anyway.

Clarke threw her gloves on the bench in her tent. She dragged her fingers through her air taking deep breaths. Between her mom chewing her out desperate to save their people, and Lexa biting back in anger, Clarke felt as if she'd been stretched thin. The last two days had been nothing but arguments from either side. She'd tried to find solace in watching over Bellamy, but his unstable condition made her worn out. 

Lexa had requested Clarke come to her tent, but Clarke declined using exhaustion as an excuse so that she'd be left alone to think. 

Clarke sat on her pallet with a heavy sigh. She didn't want to think. Her mother was right, they needed to rescue their people, but they couldn't run out and do it on their own. She needed Lexa to back her up. She needed warriors. She needed their knowledge about surviving to make it through the Dead Zone. But her mom seemed determined to push Lexa far away. And Clarke couldn't lose the grounders completely. Her people had guns, but grounders had knowledge and horses. 

And Lexa couldn't go. 

Not yet... 

Clarke lay back and shut her eyes, letting her mind wander. She thought about that day, that moment right before the flare went up and they marched on Mount   
Weather. 

She hadn't had time to think about it or even process it. It happened and they were called to the front lines. 

And they had fought and Clarke hadn't had time to think about it. Even when she was separated from Lexa during battle, she couldn't think about it. 

But now... 

Clarke felt tears burning her eyes. She kept them closed tightly, but the sob wrenched it's way from her body. She pressed her palms to her eyes as tears leaked out of the corners of her eyes. How many had she lost?

Images of Finn flashed before her eyes. Everything in her memory felt too real. She felt like she was standing in front of him with the knife again. 

“My hands were tied,” she whispered trying to push the images away. It made her heart ache. “I'm so sorry,” she sobbed quietly sitting up. She stared at her hands through blurry eyes. The battle was over. She had time to mourn those she lost... 

But things weren't okay. She couldn't just stay in her tent crying about the past. Clarke wiped her eyes trying to calm down. She had to figure out what to do. There wasn't time to grieve. There was only opportunity to move forward. 

She thought about Lexa again, for a brief moment, and then pushed the thought away again. 

Clarke stood up rezipping her jacket. Things had to be done and they started with getting Lexa to compromise.

 

Clarke barged into Lexa's tent to find the Commander taking off her armor. “Oh,” Clarke said stopping abruptly. Lexa looked at her, and then resumed removing her armor. 

“What is it Clarke?” Lexa asked. Clarke watched her hang up the pieces. 

“I'll take the coat,” Clarke said watching Lexa undo the buckles around her waist. Lexa said nothing, but looked up at Clarke. She finished removing the piece and   
crossed the room. 

Lexa held out the lump of cloth for Clarke to take. 

“Why did you change your mind?” Lexa asked when Clarke took it. Clarke paused. She hadn't totally thought her approach all the way through. 

“The arguing needs to stop,” Clarke stated. Lexa's expression didn't change. 

“I have been stating facts,” she said flatly. “And taking the coat will not make me bend to your will. That's not how it works.”

“Then how does it work? I do what you say?” Clarke asked doing her best to not sound annoyed. Lexa stared at her. 

“Heed my warning,” she told Clarke. Clarke took a deep breath. 

“I can't do that,” Clarke said. “My people can't,” she added. 

“Can't? Or won't?” Lexa asked. Clarke watched Lexa take off her sleeveless over coat. Her mother wasn't going to stop... “I gain nothing from venturing out into the   
Dead Zone. It's a waste of my warriors,” Lexa reminded Clarke. 

“I know,” Clarke said flatly. “And there isn't middle ground?” she asked. Lexa stared at Clarke again. 

“Middle ground is your people settle and you move on from there,” she said without missing a beat. 

“And the people who can't live there? What about the?” Clarke was tired of going in circles. They'd had the exact same conversation a thousand times and it always ended abruptly when one or the other got fed up. 

“They can assimilate,” Lexa said turning to face Clarke. Clarke narrowed her eyes. 

“What do you mean” she asked unsure if Lexa was saying what she thought she was. It was hard for Clarke to imagine her people among the grounders. Octavia fit because she was never meant for the Ark. But most of her people, most of the 100, barely survived outside. And for them to take orders from a grounder...

“They proved themselves during the battle,” Lexa said interrupting Clarke's thoughts. “Tondc will rebuild. There are other villages-” 

“How do I take care of my people if they are spread out?” Clarke asked realizing how dumb her question was after she said it. Lexa said nothing. “And I'd go with   
you?” Clark asked softly. She wrung her hands together under the coat. Lexa looked at Clarke for a long time. 

“Yes,” she said almost too simply. She looked like she was going to say more, but shut her mouth. 

“It can be brought up as an option,” Clarke said at last. Lexa gave a small nod and moved so that she was standing directly in front of Clarke. 

“You will make the right choice,” Lexa said softly. Clarke smiled. She was pretty sure that was her line. Clarke nodded and turned to leave. She knew what Lexa wanted and she knew what her mom wanted. And she knew she'd have to choose. The sad part was, both people thought their choice was the right one. 

And deep down Clarke knew the right choice too. 

=================================================================================

Time was passing too slowly. Clarke could feel the leaves dying and the grass drying and her life draining away. Day in and day out she was arguing with her mom trying to persuade her to do anything other then march into the Dead Zone. She was angry saying to Clarke that their people were already dead because they'd done nothing. Lexa had stood silently while Clarke argued that they had people in the mountain that needed to be tended too. 

Abby had turned around saying Clarke was being influenced by Lexa and it was clouding her judgment. 

And that pissed Clarke off the most. 

Every decision was hers. She had the final say. Lexa had provided insight and an alternative. Clarke wasn't blindly agreeing to do what Lexa said. But Abby refused to listen. 

Even Marcus had stepped in trying to explain to Abby why those in the Dead Zone shouldn't be their top priority. She had said that as chancellor everyone was her responsibility. 

So every day, the argument ended in a stalemate and Clarke stomped off to sit by Bellamy's bed. 

He was the only one who hadn't woken up. Half the grounders were treated and able to leave. The remaining 100 had gotten stronger and some were able to start   
helping out. Jasper wasn't talking to anyone. He just sat in bed staring at the wall. Octavia was spending less and less time in Mount Weather because Indra was   
starting to plan their rebuild. The village planned to move far enough so that the ruins of Tondc weren't in their backyards, but in the same area that they knew. 

 

Clarke walked through the nearly empty hospital ward, hyper aware of how loud her boots sounded against the stone floor. A meeting was being held shortly to discuss the Arker's next move. Abby wanted to take inventory of the mountain and organize groups to start cleaning and preping it for them to live. Blood needed to be wiped away. 

“He set me free,” the grounder standing next to Bellamy's bed told Clarke. She'd never seen the grounder before.”Unlocked my cage and gave me the keys...” she trailed off and turned to Clarke. She stood tall with blonde hair braided and tied neatly. “Sky people were supposed to be the root of all evil.”

“We didn-”

The grounder held up her hand cutting Clarke off. “It has changed,” she said simply. Clarke watched her turn to look over Bellamy once more. “I will see you later, Clarke of the Sky People,” she announced and left Clarke alone with Bellamy. 

She sat down on the side of his bed. All she could think was it'd be great if he woke up and was there for the meeting. Things were easier when they were partners.   
Things were better when they'd worked together...

“Bellamy you need to wake up,” Clarke said bluntly. She was done with the sad, worry. She needed him to get up. “You survived. The war is over,” she said a little louder. She glanced around the room. No one was paying attention to her. She leaned closer to Bellamy. “I am about to propose some of our people join Lexa's and I   
would really like it if you woke up and were there to help,” she said through gritted teeth. 

Nothing. 

Clarke ran her fingers through her hair and stared at his monitor. They'd done everything. It was up to Bellamy now. 

But that wasn't good enough. 

“Listen here Bellamy Blake,” Clarke said roughly. “You have three days to wake up before I force you to.” While it was an empty threat, saying it had sounded right. She needed him and if that meant threatening him in his comatose state, then so be it. 

Clarke stood up with a sigh. With any luck the meeting would go smoothly and quickly. 

With her luck it'd be long and drawn out and possibly lead to argument. 

 

Clarke stood beside Lexa zoning out. She had heard her moms plan over and over. The only thing Clarke was listening for was mention of the Dead Zone. Abby had promised not to bring it up at the meeting. She was still set on rescuing their people, but Clarke had convinced her to wait and focus on rebuilding. 

Abby was finally getting to the part about people being allowed to join the grounders, and to Clarke's surprise, most people looked appalled or terrified by the offer.   
Even those who had been used for bone marrow didn't seem to like the sound of the idea. 

“We fought together and still they view us as beneath you,” Lexa muttered for only Clarke to hear. She winced. 

“I thought it'd be different,” Clarke whispered back before stepping up to the podium. 

She gave a short speech on the benefits of joining the grounders. She tried to persuade with examples of the ground and the freedom. Clarke talked about how they wouldn't be locked away any more. They'd be out breathing the air and feeling the sun on their faces. 

And still only a handful of people agreed to go to the grounder camp. 

The room began to empty as the meeting ended and people started grouping up to began restoring the mountain. 

It emptied out until it was only Clarke and Lexa. 

“They are cowards,” Lexa said. Clarke shook her head. 

“They are used to comfort and commodities like lights and ovens and central heating,” Clarke said with a sigh. Maybe it was better that they stayed in the mountain.   
She couldn't, but maybe too many of the Arker's joining the grounders would prove a hindrance. 

Clarke sighed. “Let's go. It's going to take longer with new people,” she told Lexa. Lexa nodded, following Clarke as she exited the room with the five Arker's that had chosen to leave the mountain.


	8. Chapter 8

Clarke was jerked awake by Raven?

She rubbed her eyes and sat up feeling groggy. Her body was heavy and her limbs felt like they weren't moving properly. 

She was trying to listen to what Raven? Was saying, but she'd been yanked out of a dead sleep. A dead dreamless sleep. Maybe this was the dream. 

“Clarke!” Raven? Shouted again. Clarke blinked at her. She was in her tent, but so was Raven?

“Raven?” she asked her mouth feeling dry. 

“Bellamy woke up,” Raven repeated. “Bellamy Blake? Remember him?” she asked throwing Clarke's jacket at her. 

“He woke up,” Clarke said. The tears burned her eyes and her face felt hot. Bellamy was awake... “Bellamy woke up,” she said feeling overwhelmed with relief. “He survived.” 

“Yeah and now you need to,” Raven said impatiently. 

“Why did you come?” Clarke said putting on her jacket and then the coat from Lexa. Raven looked her up and down. Clarke ignored the look she gave her. There was no way Raven was warm enough in her jacket. 

“I came with Echo,” Raven told her. 

“Mmm,” Clarke acknowledged. “But it's the middle of the night.”

“You aren't the only one who doesn't sleep,” Raven muttered as they exited the tent. 

Outside the air was brisk. Clarke could clearly see her breath. The moon was already dipping lower in the sky and Clarke knew that meant morning was approaching.   
She was glad they didn't wait to tell her. 

Raven lead Clarke through the quiet grounder camp. A few guards milled about, but they'd let the fires grow low and weren't tense. Echo stood with the horses. It was   
the grounder Clarke had seen a few times by Bellamy's bed. She stood expressionless and more intimidating in the dark. 

“Lexa needs to know,” Clarke said watching Echo hoist Raven up onto her horse. Echo offered Clarke a hand, but it was waved away. Each day it was a little easier to mount a horse, not to mention actually ride. 

“I told her,” Echo said flatly and pulled herself effortlessly onto her horse and settled in front of Raven. 

“What'd she say?” Clarke asked pulling on her gloves. Echo turned. 

“She said she was happy for you.”

 

Clarke walked slowly with Raven who limped as fast as she could. “Can you believe that was my first time on a horse?” Raven joked. 

“It hurts,” Clarke said even though it was clear Raven was in pain. 

“I don't know how they do it,” she said with a rough laugh leaning against the wall in the elevator. 

“You'll get better,” Clarke encouraged. Raven laughed again rubbing her thighs. 

“Don't know if I want to,” she said with a sad sigh. 

The elevator dinged open and Clarke helped Raven out. She slowed her pace even more suddenly dreading facing Bellamy. What was she supposed to say? She'd put   
him in the mountain. They'd known the risks. But she hadn't counted on them torturing him. 

Everyone had been in cages, dying. But Bellamy was hung by his ankles half drained of blood and bone marrow and beaten bloody. His eyes were swollen shut. His nose was broken. Fractures in his face, arms, and ribs. His legs had damage from being hung up. His body couldn't heal because it was stressed from lack of bone marrow. 

And he was awake. And Clarke had to think of something to say...

Only Octavia was by Bellamy's bed. The rest of the room was deserted except for three beds holding Clarke's people. Jasper still refused to talk. He'd been hooked up to an IV since he refused meals. 

“How is he?” Clarke asked pushing Jasper out of her mind. Octavia looked over her shoulder at Clarke. 

“He didn't say much. Mostly incoherent mumbles,” she said in a soft voice. She reached out pushing Bellamy's hair away from his eyes. “You still awake Bell? Clarke's here now,” Octavia whispered. Clarke held her breath. 

“...arke...” Bellamy's eyes fluttered open. His gaze locked with Clarke's and she realized she was holding her breath. “We... won...”   
It wasn't a question, but a statement. Clarke and Octavia nodded at the same time. 

“Feels like... I'm floating,” Bellamy said with a weak smile. 

“It's stuff for the pain Bell,” Octavia whispered, her voice shaking. Bellamy looked at his sister and then back at Clarke. She was at a loss for words. 

“I thought you were gone,” Clarke said feeling the burn of tears again. Bellamy was the reason they were standing there. Without him the war would have been lost and everyone would have died. Or maybe there wouldn't have been a fight at all. Regardless, they owed so much to Bellamy and Clarke didn't know how to put it into   
words. 

She watched Bellamy's eyes slip shut and he exhaled softly. He'd fallen back asleep. 

“What's the damage going to be?” Octavia asked turning to Clarke. Tears had left tracks down her cheeks. Clarke glanced at his file. She'd read it enough to have it memorized. 

“All his fingers were broken and the damage to his legs... it's too hard to say without his own knowledge,” Clarke said after taking a deep breath. “His legs have shown signs of numbness, but it's unknown whether or not it's permanent.” 

“He can join the club,” Raven muttered hoisting her leg onto the bed. “Can't guarantee that it'll help much though...” Raven said trailing off. Clarke hadn't brought it up with her, but she'd overheard Abby discussing Raven's condition with another doctor. The numbness seemed to be spreading. 

“We have to wait until Bellamy can tell us more,” Clarke added. She didn't want Octavia to over worry even though Clarke was sure Octavia already was. Octavia nodded. 

“We should go eat before all the good food is gone,” Raven said sounded bored. Clarke looked at Octavia who shook her head. 

“I'm staying here. Someone will bring up something,” she said turning back to Bellamy. Clarke looked at Bellamy once more and then followed the limping Raven. 

 

Clarke and Raven ate in the silence of the control room. Most people were asleep. It was grounders who were being fed and switching whose turn it was to be on watch. The war was over, but to drop ones guard was never a good idea. 

It made Clarke wonder what they'd do when the grounders left the mountain for good. 

Neither Clarke nor Raven ate much of their breakfast. At this point, Clarke found the grounder camp welcoming and the mountain as nothing but a home for killers and ghosts. But they were all killers at this point. 

“You keep sighing,” Raven said sounding annoyed. She was tinkering with walkie talkies again. Trying to extend their range now that the signal wasn't jamming anything. It created more traffic even if it was only static. 

“I'm tired,” Clarke said watching Raven roll her eyes. “Do you want to be here?” Clarke asked suddenly. Raven looked up. 

“As opposed to what?” she asked. But her tone told Clarke that Raven knew what she meant. 

“You could come-”

“No,” Raven said sharply. “Did you forget that it was because of Lexa,” she emphasized her name, “that Finn died?” 

“Raven-”

“Oh wait, you were the one holding the knife,” Raven said crossing her arms. Clarke sighed. After everything, she'd been so sure Raven had forgiven her. 

“Raven,” Clarke said again. “This is about starting over now that the war is done. I don't think the mountain is for you,” Clarke said boldly. There was silence. Raven   
picked at her sleeve and then fiddled with stuff on her desk. 

“I can't leave. This is all I know,” she said gesturing to the desk. “I'm a mechanic.”

“So bring that to the grounders,” Clarke said. “Raven, you made a 100 year old pod work so that you could get to earth. You created bombs and radios with the items on hand. Raven you don't have to stay here to do that,” Clarke insisted. 

Raven shrugged. “Easier said then done,” she sighed pointing to her leg. “I can't go around running through the forest.” 

“Lexa said Polis was different,” Clarke told her although that was an assumption. It was their clan's capitol though, so it at least had to be bigger? 

Raven shrugged again. “Different meaning what?” Raven asked, but Clarke left the question unanswered. 

“Just think about it,” Clarke said standing up. 

“Yeah okay,” Raven said halfheartedly. Clarke watched her turn back to her desk and absorb herself in her work. The mountain was going to kill her. 

 

“I want to wait for Bellamy to be stronger before we leave,” Clarke told Lexa. They stood in the hallway on the medical floor. Clarke had spoken to him briefly after she'd eaten lunch. He didn't want to stay in Mount Weather. 

“Is he coming with us?” Lexa asked steadily. Clarke nodded. “Mmm.”

“He can't stay here after everything he went through,” Clarke added. 

“Mmm,” Lexa hummed again. “When will he be strong enough?”

“A week? We can't be sure,” Clarke explained. “Bellamy is... you know. Right hand man? Second in command,” Clarke offered sensing that Lexa was creating her own   
assumptions. “It'll be easiest if he is near me so that we can plan together.”

“Yes,” Lexa said at last. She turned to look at Clarke. “It is a good idea, but what if he doesn't get better?” 

Clarke hadn't thought much about Bellamy's condition. She figured since there wasn't brain damage she could count on his leader ship skills to keep balance and peace between them and the grounders. The last thing she needed was to fight another war. And she definitely didn't want Abby roping Bellamy into a rescue mission in the Dead Zone. 

Both Kane and her mother acted as if they'd dropped the idea to go into the Dead Zone, but over heard whispers told her otherwise. There'd been a meeting the other night after she'd gone back to camp with Lexa. Clarke didn't want to make it an issue yet, but she had people keeping tabs on what was going on in the mountain. If they tried to make a move, she'd know about it. 

“He is still useful,” Clarke said simply. “If there are physical issues then we will work around them. I'm not just going to discard Bellamy because he was injured. He's worth more than that.”

Lexa broke eye contact with Clarke to turn and look at the painting on the wall. Renoir, Clarke wanted to tell her. Probably the original too considering the art Clarke had seen around the mountain. 

“Are there paintings like this in Polis?” Clarke asked. Lexa seemed lost in thought. 

“Yes,” she told Clarke. “Some are very old and worn away with time and some are newer, done in the time post nuclear war. The time after the dust settled.”

“Do you paint?” Clarke asked looking at Lexa. She turned her head. 

“When I was younger I would draw, but there isn't time for that now.”

“You put together the display when we were explaining the plan,” Clarke reminded her. Lexa gave a brief, small smile. 

“Do you paint?” she asked Clarke who shook her head. 

“We didn't have paint on the Ark... I drew though. All the time,” Clarke said, but she couldn't remember the last time she'd drawn something. Since arriving on the   
ground it had been about survival. She had barely had a moment to herself, let alone a moment to draw. 

“What did you draw?” Lexa asked Clarke. 

“The ground,” Clarke told her honestly. Lexa glanced at Clarke. 

“How did it compare?” she asked. Clarke sighed smiling. She thought about the moon and the smell of grass and rain on her face and soil beneath her feet. 

“Erase everything that has happened and it's better then I ever drew and could imagine,” Clarke said quietly. Maybe now she'd get a moment to enjoy the ground...

“When we get there, I will give you paint,” Lexa said to the surprise of Clarke. “And I will show you the art,” Lexa added. Clarke smiled again. 

“Thanks,” she said simply. Lexa nodded and turned to head towards the elevator. Clarke watched her go and once she disappeared Clarke turned her attention back to   
the painting on the wall. The colors in the painting attracted her the most. The way the red hat stood out... Clarke felt excitement rush through her. It'd been too long   
since she'd drawn, and never in her life had she been able to paint. But the thought of sitting down with art supplies seemed very peaceful and relaxing. It was a suitable activity to mark the start of the time after the nightmare she had just survived.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this story, the war went a bit differently especially compared to the heartbreak I suffered through in 2x15. Also, disabled people need more representation which is why I highlight Raven's disability more so then in the show.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if this chapter is a bit slow. It's purpose is basically filler.

They were leaving. Actually leaving. The camp was packed up. Their supplies was gathered. The horses were ready...

“Raven and Wick will get the radios working and we'll be able to communicate,” Clarke told her mom again after hugging her a third time. Abby nodded. After hours of attempted persuasion, Wick had been the one to convince Raven to leave the mountain with Clarke. He said something about using old satellites and radio towers along the way and devising a plan to set up communication between the mountain, Tondc, and Polis, as well as the other towns in Lexa's clan. That had grabbed Raven's attention and Clarke had been glad to see her finally perk up. 

“I know it's just... you're going off again,” Abby sighed. While waiting for Bellamy to heal, Clarke only had to break up on Dead Zone rescue team meeting. She'd been annoyed, but as time went by Clarke had been fairly successful at getting her mom to abandon the plan. That made Clarke relieved. 

“I'll be fine though. No more wars. No more fighting,” Clarke reminded her. She nodded again. 

“I love you, Clarke,” her mom said with a sad smile. Clarke smiled back. 

“I love you too.” She let her hand slip from her mothers and then turned to where the horses were waiting. Raven rode with Echo. Bellamy was with Lincoln who, along with Octavia, would accompany Clarke and the Commander to Polis before returning to Tondc. Octavia rode with the still silent Jasper. All of them were hoping that leaving Mount Weather would perk him up. Wick was the only other Arker besides Clarke to ride alone. He'd spent a lot of time practicing, but Raven told him she'd be safer alone with a horse then with him riding. He'd pretended to be deeply offended by her comment. 

Clarke hoisted herself onto her horse. She was getting better. She didn't have the grace Lexa had, but she felt more confident. 

“You will see her again,” Lexa said to Clarke. Clarke nodded. With inexperienced riders, Lexa said the journey would take roughly three days. Most of the warriors had gone ahead, and while Lexa was to go with them, she had ordered them to ride ahead without her. 

“I know,” Clarke said gripping the reigns. Clarke looked back at her mother. Abby raised a hand to wave. Clarke waved back as Lexa called for the group to move out. 

 

Eight hours of riding and Clarke couldn't feel her legs. All her people were feeling it. While the grounders began setting up camp, Clarke went to help her people off their horses. “I never want to ride a damn horse again,” Raven muttered leaning against Wick. Echo laughed. 

“The stories talk about cars. Be glad we have horses. You are less likely to die,” Echo said with a laugh as she pushed past them to help set up camp. 

“You'll survive,” Wick told her. Raven rolled her eyes. 

“I'm going to check on Bellamy,” Clarke said seeing him with Lincoln and Octavia. “Bellamy!” she called. He looked like he was in pain. 

“Clarke,” he winced as Lincoln helped him sit. 

“How are you feeling?” she asked. Bellamy wasn't 100%, but he refused to make them wait any longer. 

“I hate horses,” he told Clarke, forcing a laugh. 

“Lincoln went to get something to take the edge off,” Octavia said to her brother. 

“Okay. I'm going to check on the progress of the tents,” Clarke told them standing up. 

There was already a large bonfire lit and food cooking. Half the tents were set up and the rest were almost done. Clarke was looking for Lexa though. Spending the day riding beside her had been exhilarating while exhausting. She admired how Lexa looked on her horse. It had been a quiet day though. Only her thoughts and the sound of pounding hoofs to occupy her mind. 

“Lexa!” Clarke found her near the fire talking to one of the grounders. She turned and acknowledged Clarke with a nod. The grounder she was talking to walked off as Clarke approached. 

“I know these days will be hard on you, but in Polis we have baths that will help the muscles,” Lexa explained to Clarke. 

“Oh, uh that actually sounds really nice,” Clarke said quietly. “Are we making good time?” she asked. The sooner they were in Polis the better. 

“We are behind schedule.”

Clarke nodded staring into the flames. 

“You are getting better at riding,” Lexa commented, breaking the silence. Clarke smiled and shook her head. 

“Not as good as you.” 

Clarke watched Lexa smile. 

“There is time to achieve that,” Lexa murmured turning to look at Clarke. “I have had your pallet set up in my tent unless you would rather stay with your people.” 

Clarke stared at Lexa, torn. Octavia had said she'd take responsibility for Jasper. Bellamy had told Clarke over and over that he didn't need to be babied. Raven had   
Wick, even though she put up an endless protest. The others were paired off with grounders and Arker partners as well. Leaving Clarke on her own. 

She knew their tent count had been downsized for travel, but she hadn't been thinking about that meaning she needed to choose somewhere to sleep. Clarke met   
Lexa's gaze. 

“Your tent will be fine,” Clarke said. “Thank you.” 

Lexa nodded giving Clarke a small smile. 

 

They ate as the sun set. Lincoln had given everyone something to take an edge off the soreness. And Clarke was more than ready to go to sleep. Her people had all retired to their tents, grounders were posted on watch, but there were still people milling around the fire. An eight hour ride had appeared to be nothing for the grounders. Clarke knew she shouldn't be surprised. 

At last, Lexa made her way to her tent, and Clarke followed hot on her heels. 

The tent was smaller then the one at the first camp and their pallets were laid out with a few feet in between them. Lexa looked at Clarke when she entered, but said nothing. The fire had already been lit and the tent was making Clarke sweat. 

She watched as Lexa removed her armor and outer coat. All Clarke did was take off her gloves. Lexa looked at her again. Clarke pulled at the buckle's on her coat and   
Lexa turned around. 

“We leave at day break,” Lexa said even though it had been announced earlier. 

“Mmm,” Clarke hummed taking off the coat and her jacket. She pushed up the sleeves of her thinning shirt and wondered how long her clothes were going to last. Her mother had tried to offer her clothes from Mount Weather, but Clarke couldn't do it. 

She sat on her pallet, tying her hair back. Lexa watched her. Clarke took off her boots yawning. “Are there really hot springs in Polis?” Clarke asked. She'd heard Lincoln telling Octavia while they ate. Lexa nodded. 

“The war caused permanent changes to the Earth. Most of them bad, but some, like the baths, were nice to have. They are always the perfect temperature. The mixture is very good for healing as well.” Lexa lay back when she finished explaining. In science classes, Clarke had learned about natural hot springs. But the thought of seeing them and going in one made her whole body tingle. 

Clarke laid down pulling her blankets up to her chin. She was in the middle of nowhere, but it relaxed her. The mountains were a smudge in the background. The war was in the past. This was everyone moving forward. 

Exhaustion and warmth were pulling at Clarke's eyelids. She felt like should could actually sleep peacefully for once. 

“And Clarke?” Lexa asked. 

“Hmm?” Clarke was falling asleep. 

“If we need to go slower, I will go slower... for you.” 

Clarke smiled as she drifted to sleep with Lexa's words for you ringing in her ears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter the fun begins as they enter Polis!


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was really hard to write, but I really liked how it turned out. Thoughts on the chapter would be appreciated.

It took four days of frequent stops and complaints, but finally there was a change in the grounders. Conversation rippled through the ranks as the sun climbed higher in the sky. Clarke saw a visible change in Lexa too. She sat a little taller and a little prouder. Clarke tried to sit straighter, but her entire body hurt too much for her to succeed. 

Clarke's eyes drifted over the signs that were hammered into the trees. Most of them were faded and rusting, the words partially or completely missing. The trees started to thin out and finally a large stone archway came into view. The gates were open and people spilled out to watch the Commander's return. 

Calls of Heda grew louder and louder as the grounders cleared a path for the Commander and her convoy. 

And then they passed through the gates. 

Clarke was shocked. Not only was the archway impressive, but the buildings inside were amazing. Houses of wood, stone, brick, and metal were crowded together.   
The entire capitol appeared to be walled in and as they approached what Clarke assumed was the center, the buildings got larger and taller. 

She looked up noticing houses built in the trees connected with rope bridges that criss-crossed high in the sky. People stood in the streets and doorways and windows. Most were chanting in grounder, but lots of eyes were on Clarke. She held her head high and concentrated on soaking in the sight before her. 

Some of the buildings, their frames were probably remains of buildings from before the war. Clarke noticed gardens and flowers that hung from boxes and windows, dying with the change of seasons. The leaves on the trees were turning gold and red and orange. 

Clarke looked at the people, men, women, and children. There were adults holding babies, young ones trying to get a better view, older children trying to gather their... siblings...

The buildings and homes spread out and cleared into a plaza. There was a giant design embedded into the ground made of various stones and rocks. Clarke recognized the picture as a sun and a moon. At the top of the sun was a stone platform which they were headed for. It had to be a stage. Warriors Clarke recognized from the war were onstage directing where chairs were to be set. By the number, Clarke knew they were for her people. 

“Join me on stage,” Lexa told Clarke when they came to a halt. “Help your people and use the chairs if necessary. I will try to keep my welcoming short.” 

Clarke nodded, dismounting after Lexa did. As they dismounted, children who Clarke guessed were around twelve, came to attend to the horses. 

“Thank you,” Clarke said handing her reigns to the girl. She gave Clarke a strange look, but nodded. 

Clarke hurried to help Jasper down and then Bellamy. She felt guilty for causing him so much pain, but horseback was the only way they'd have gotten to Polis. Walking   
would have taken too long, not counting that some people couldn't walk far. 

“How much English do you think they know?” Bellamy asked quietly. 

“Most of them? I'd say none. At least outside of the basics,” Octavia said helping Bellamy to a chair. 

“Only the warriors know English,” Clarke added looking out of the mass of gathered people. She'd seen what 1000 grounders had looked like, but here... there were way more people. They were all chattering away while eying Clarke and her people. People poured out of the streets that all seemed to connect to the plaza. Some words stood out to Clarke. Heda. Skaikru. Simple words, but everything else was lost. 

After her people were settled, Clarke climbed the stairs to stand with Lexa and a handful of grounders. Lexa stood proud at the front of the stage, beaming and letting her eyes sweep over all her people who gather. 

“How many live here?” Clarke whispered to a grounder named Mar. 

“Roughly 10,000,” he said surprising Clarke. She had never seen that many people. Ever. The number was incomprehensible. She stared out at the people. How many of their ancestors had survived the nuclear war? She had originally thought less than 100, but to have a city full of so many... 

Clarke snapped out of her thoughts when Lexa spoke and a hush fell over the crowd. As Clarke expected, she did not speak in English. But she was still able to understand the premise of what Lexa was saying. From her tone, Clarke knew that Lexa was talking about the drop ship and when her people had originally landed. A   
murmur rushed through the crowd, but they quieted down as Lexa continued. 

Lexa talked about Clarke. She talked about the alliance. Clarke was pretty sure she mentioned Finn. And finally she talked about them fighting Mount Weather. That riled the crowd up. They were yells and roars when Lexa announced victory. The people chanted and cheered. 

And Lexa turned to smile at Clarke. Clarke smiled back. 

Lexa called for her people to settle down and her voice turned somber. Clarke assumed she was talking about those they'd lost. 

The entire city was silent for a beat. Clarke let those they'd lost pass through her mind. Twenty-two were all that was left. She thought about those who fell when the grounders attacked the drop ship. And the people she'd lost to the Mountain Men. And then Finn. 

Clarke set her jaw. She was in front of 10,000 people. She was not going to think of Finn. 

The people were cheering again. Lexa seemed to be done with her speech because she was headed towards the stairs. 

“Where are we going now?” Clarke asked following Lexa down the steps. 

“To show your people their home,” Lexa said. 

 

The house Lexa showed them to was part of the quarters set aside for warriors in training. Echo explained she'd stayed there when she was younger. They'd sleep on the second floor which was used when people were traveling or passing through. 

“We will find your people permanent homes after they have settled in,” Lexa told Clarke. “For now, they will stay here with Lincoln, Octavia, and Echo.”

“Thank you,” Clarke said surveying the room. People were already getting pallets set up for her people. The area of the second floor was spacious. It was rather plain,   
but Lexa said that was because it was unused. The main area of the first floor had been painted and was covered in faded pictures. 

Faded photographs. 

“Clarke, I will take you to where you will be staying,” Lexa said drawing Clarke's attention away from the photographs. 

“I thought I was staying here?” 

Lexa shook her head. “You will have a room in my home.” 

 

And when Clarke saw Lexa's home she was pretty sure it was what would be considered a mansion. They walked up the steps to the porch and through the double doors. It opened to a large main room with a staircase. The rooms on either side were dark. 

“Up here,” Lexa said climbing the stairs. Clarke shut the door behind her. 

“How is it lit in here?” Clarke asked looking at the lights. 

“Solar power,” Lexa said dismissively. 

“Solar power?” Clarke exclaimed. Lexa stopped. 

“Built before the war and rebuilt for Polis. It's in the stories,” Lexa explained. She continued up the steps to the second floor. 

Clarke was faced with large portraits decorating the hallway. There were eleven, the last one was Lexa. 

“The Commanders?” Clarke asked. Lexa nodded. 

“Painted when they were chosen,” Lexa added. Clarke looked at all the young women who adorned the wall. “In the beginning they were sick and did not live long.” 

Clarke noticed the years painted under their names. Most of them appeared to be twelve years old and their years in command were short. 

“Over here,” Lexa said. She was standing by a door on the left. 

“Do you live here alone?” Clarke asked going into the room. It was a wide room with tall windows covered by curtains, the largest bed Clarke had ever seen, and a random assortment of worn, mismatch furniture. 

“Who would live here?” Lexa asked. Clarke looked at her. 

“For how long?” Clarke asked quietly. Lexa stared at her. 

“This house is a gift to the Commander,” Lexa said ignoring Clarke's question. “I sleep on the right side. Workers will be in and out of the house during meals. If you'd like a bath, let them know otherwise they will just leave the wash basin. We will start tomorrow with a tour and then I have work to do.”

“I think that's the most I've ever heard you say,” Clarke said with a smile. 

“It is an explanation,” Lexa said with a wave of her hand. Clarke continued to smile. Lexa looked more relaxed in the safety of her own home. It was different, but Clarke liked it. “I will take you to the baths. They are for the community, but they will be cleared out for us.”

Clarke nodded following Lexa back into the hall. The medicine Lincoln had given them was wearing off and she was eager to relax in a bath. Such a luxury wasn't even possible on the ark. 

 

Clarke gaped at the baths. She stood in a cavern underground that was lit with torches. Decorative stone decorated the walls as well as various flowers Clarke had never seen before and patches of moss. 

The water was milky and the air had been perfumed. Steam rose from all three large pools. There were benches circling each pool. Upon entering Clarke had been handed soap and towels. Lexa said clothes would be brought later on since Clarke's desperately needed to be cleaned. 

“Go on,” Lexa said as she unbuckled her coat. Clarke looked at her. She acted as if Clarke wasn't even in the room. 

“Lexa?” she asked. They were the only two in the baths. Her people had been there before. They'd been cleaned and were now being fed. 

And she was in the baths alone with Lexa. 

“Hmm?” she asked folding each item as she took it off. Clarke watched her undo her pants. Clarke fumbled with the clasps on her coat. Her head felt like it was   
swimming. Clarke watched Lexa remove her pants. She turned her head and locked eyes with Clarke. 

“Thank you,” were the first words that came out of Clarke's mouth. She diverted her eyes and removed her coat. “For all of this. You didn't need to let us stay and... everything,” Clarke added. 

“I wanted to,” Lexa said. Her voice was gentler then Clarke had ever heard it before. She looked back at Lexa who was pulling her shirt over her head. “I want the people to no longer fear Sky People. Things have changed,” she said removing both pieces of her underclothes. Clarke nodded looking at the floor. She listened to 

Lexa enter the water before returning to removing her clothes. 

She'd never been naked in front of another person before. Perhaps when she was little and her parents bathed her, but that didn't count. Lexa took off her clothes with grace while Clarke stood self conscious on the edge of the pool. 

Although it did help that Lexa wasn't looking at her anymore. Her back was to Clarke. 

Clarke quickly pulled the rest of her clothes off. It'd been too long. Just standing without her dirty, worn out clothes felt better. Her skin felt like it could breathe. 

She slipped into the water and sat on the carved stone bench that rested under the surface. Lexa had said that in their deepest parts, the baths were about waist height. Now, settled into the water nearly up to her neck, Clarke relaxed. It felt so good that she didn't know how she was supposed to get out. The water was the perfect temperature and soothed her aching body. 

“Enjoying yourself?” Lexa asked. Clarke had no words. She nodded before letting herself sink below the surface. She found it odd that she wasn't afraid. She didn't know how to swim, and she'd never been in such a large body of water, but all she wanted to do was rest fully submerged. 

Clarke broke the surface gasping. Her lungs longed for air. She wiped water from her eyes as she took deep breaths. Lexa was smiling as she wet a cloth before   
handing it to Clarke. “Can you swim?” Clarke asked taking the cloth and lathering soap into it. Lexa nodded. 

“Most water is dangerous, but yes I can swim,” she told Clarke. She thought back to their first day on the ground when Octavia jumped into the water. Clarke wanted to know how to swim. She wanted to know everything about the ground now that the war was behind them. Everything she'd read about, learned about, all of that   
could happen. 

“The tree houses... do people live up there?” Clarke asked scrubbing her skin with the cloth. She could feel the layers of dirt and sweat finally leaving her body. 

“Yes. Most are guard towers or for storage, but people live up there. I will take you tomorrow,” Lexa said to her as she rubbed the soap into her long hair. She had undone most of the braids and sections probably when Clarke was under the water. 

Clarke continued scrubbing her skin thinking about being so high up in the trees. She'd seen grounders running across the bridges as they walked to the baths. She'd seen children climbing ladders up to the houses in the trees to join their friends. It wasn't what she'd thought Polis would be like. It wasn't something she could have thought of. The electricity was a surprise, but so were the elaborate buildings and the plaza and Lexa's house and the portraits and the faded photographs...

Clarke washed her hair, digging her fingers into her scalp and down through the tangled mess that was her hair. That felt the best, cleaning her hair. She'd almost forgotten what it was like to have clean hair. Even when she was in solitary on the Ark she had been allowed a shower a day. 

“This is amazing,” Clarke sighed watching Lexa smile again. She refrained from mentioning this was the most expression she'd ever seen on the Commander's face in fear that she'd stop. Clarke didn't want her to stop smiling. 

Footsteps echoing around the bath startled Clarke, but Lexa barely looked up. It was a young woman with a large basket. She spoke in grounder, but kept her eyes locked with Clarke. The woman had light brown skin a flat face and almond shaped eyes. She wore clothes similar to Clarke's except with a heavy leather apron over. 

Her hair was braided back and Clarke found she looked almost familiar. 

Lexa finished speaking to the woman, who had set the basket down. She said parting words to the Commander and then left, finally taking her eyes off Clarke. 

“Zozo is Anya's younger sister,” Lexa said when the footsteps were gone. Clarke felt her chest tighten. Anya. 

Anya. 

“She is a blacksmith,” Lexa added. She looked at Clarke and frowned. Clarke shook her head not wanting Lexa to worry. 

“I was just thinking about how I couldn't save her,” Clarke said softly. Memories of watching Anya take her final breaths flooded her mind. 

Followed by thoughts of Finn. 

“Her spirit will find a worthy warrior,” Lexa said confidently. Clarke nodded, not sure how much she bought into reincarnation, but she wasn't about to challenge Lexa's beliefs. 

Clarke rinsed her hair out. Her and Lexa soaked in silence. Clarke had so much she wanted to say, wanted to ask, but the warmth of the water was making her sleepy.   
Her mind was muddled and the longer she sat in the bath, the harder it was to keep her eyes open. 

“Clarke,” Lexa said at last. Clarke looked over to see Lexa standing naked on the edge. She couldn't take her eyes off Lexa. The way her skin shone in the dim light.   
The way her body curved. She scars on her skin...

“Hmm?” Clarke asked pulling her eyes to Lexa's face. 

“We should go,” was all she said as she sat on the bench outside the water and began drying off. Clarke nodded, self consciousness flooding her body again. Lexa was busy drying her hair when Clarke finally climbed out of the bath and rushed to wrap the rather large towel around her body. She felt lethargic and sleepy. Getting   
dressed seemed like such a hassle. 

“Here,” Lexa said handing Clarke a clean pile of clothes. “Just the basics.” 

Clarke rushed to put on the underclothes. They fit and so did the pants. The shirt was big, but she didn't mind. She put her feet back into her boots and picked up her jacket from the drop ship. She put it on and then the coat from Lexa. She gathered her dirty clothes and put them in the basket with Lexa's. 

 

The streets were quieter even though there were still many people outside. A lamp was lit at every doorway. If Clarke wasn't so tired, she would have asked to go see her people. But she knew they were safe. And all she could think of was the large bed in her new room. 

Back in the house, Lexa directed Clarke to the kitchen where food had been left for them. They sat in silence as they ate. Clarke hadn't realized how hungry she'd   
been. Hungry, tired, sore, but finally safe. 

Finally safe. Those were the words Clarke had longer so badly for. 

 

The bed was as wonderful as it had looked. She sank into the mattress and covered herself with soft blankets and furs. A fire burned low in the fire place and gave off enough light so that Clarke didn't feel swallowed by the darkness. 

She shut her eyes thinking of Lexa and all her small smiles. Smiles just for her. 

Clarke smiled thinking of how relaxed Lexa had become. She let her mind slip briefly to thoughts of Lexa'a naked body and how the water glistened... She rolled over burying herself further into the bed. Maybe it was the exhaustion, but Clarke really wanted to kiss her again. 

She thought the idea would freak her out, but instead she felt a sense of calm backed by desire to feel Lexa's soft full lips against hers again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, it was very hard to keep from writing Clexa sexy fun times in the baths.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that it's a bit late! Hope everyone enjoys.

Clarke stood against the railing of one of the lower treehouses. It was as far up as she could go in the last thee days. There were still two more levels up. 

She liked being up and able to see the entire city. Her particular favorite spot was near the center of the city. When Lexa had given her a tour, Clarke had noticed that the city was a circle, built out from the plaza with barracks and training ground taking up most of the northeast quarter, gardens and greenhouses in the northwest, and the entire south comprised of mostly homes and trade shops and other goods and services. 

Up above everything, Clarke found peace. People didn't bother her up in the treehouse. Young adults around her age came and went, running across the bridges and climbing ladders, but virtually ignoring Clarke. She felt their eyes on her, but they said nothing. 

Lexa, on the second evening, had presented Clarke with a bound notebook and charcoal. It had been presented while they ate dinner together. Clarke was elated by the gift and got to work drawing that night. The feeling of the charcoal in her hand, even the feel of the paper excited her. 

The problem fell with wanting to draw everything and not knowing where to start. So she searched for a quiet place to draw. 

She went to the training area in the morning to see everyone. They were already settling happy, except for Jasper. Bellamy, despite his still healing fingers, was eager to see the various drills the grounders did. He'd been a soldier on the Ark, but on the ground, the soldiers were warriors. Octavia, as a second, was on watch with other seconds. Her shift had started at dawn and Lincoln had accompanied her. 

Echo took Raven and Wick, and Jasper who finally agreed to get out of bed, to a store house filled with bin after bin of broken or semi-functional electronics. Half the stuff Clarke barely recognized, but Raven tore into the first bin grinning with glee. She pulled out piece after piece, ripping backing off, looking at wires, examining computer chips in the pale light, already waist deep in ideas. 

First they'd connected the radios between Mount Weather, Tondc, and Polis. After that, Lexa gave them a verbal list of things to work on fixing or creating. 

Echo moved on with Jasper, telling him she had a few ideas for where he'd fit. Raven had told her that Jasper excelled at chemistry and knew various plants from hanging with Monty. Clarke had given his arm a squeeze before he went off to reassure him they'd find something for him to do. He just nodded sadly and went off with Echo. 

So Clarke had wandered around for about an hour before climbing a ladder to the first level of treehouses. The view had been what convinced her to stay. 

“Clarke?” a voice asked from behind her. She closed the notebook and turned to look at the kid maybe a few years younger then her. 

“Yes?” she asked. He looked relieved. He stood straight and crossed her right arm across his chest, hand in a fist. 

“The Commander has requested that you eat the food she sent,” the kid said. He then took a box out of the bag on his hip. He offered it to Clarke. She wasn't   
surprised. Lexa had said that she had a lot of work to do regarding rearranging troops after the losses at the drop ship and the mountain. But she still managed to hunt down Clarke in the city and offer food. 

“Thanks,” Clarke said taking the box. It was a metal tin with faded picture of what looked like bears on it. She opened it finding food similar to what she'd been eating.   
The food in Polis was a lot better then it had been in the grounder camp. “Is she still working?” Clarke asked. The boy looked confused. 

“I... I don't know. I am only a runner. I do not speak to the Commander directly,” he said. 

“Oh... then can you take a message back to her?” Clarke asked. The boy nodded. “Tell the Commander that I would like for her to meet me here. Okay?”

“I will relay the message,” the boy said crossing his arm across his chest again and then running off down the bridge. Clarke watched him go and then turned to where   
she'd been leaning against the railing. She picked at the food as she thought. 

She had to tell Lexa that she needed something to do. Liaison of the Sky People wasn't going to cut it if she was only needed during meetings. She'd been going since she landed, and hanging around was nice, but she needed more. 

 

“I usually have people come to me, Clarke,” Lexa said crossing the bridge to stand with her. Clarke smiled. 

“I like it up here. I've been drawing the city,” Clarke told her. 

“Higher is better. It feels almost like you are flying...” Lexa trailed off. 

“I never felt like I was flying up there. More like floating... and then falling,” Clarke explained picking up on why Lexa stopped what she had been saying. “And sometimes, space was beautiful, but all this,” Clarke gestured to the city in front of them. “Is more than I could have imagined.” 

“Space. I would never go there,” Lexa said. 

“I think the time for space travel has passed,” Clarke added. It sounded almost sad. Humans had made it to space and used that power to destroy the earth. They didn't even get out of the Earth's orbit. In history, they learned about the future of space travel. Maybe her people were supposed to be the ones who did it. But that hadn't happened. 

And now they were all on the ground. 

“I can show you an airplane,” Lexa said after a moment. “Not far there is a hanger full of airplanes. Most have been stripped and all parts used, but there's one left. It's supposed to be a reminder of what was and what will never be,” Lexa said sadly. 

“I want to see it,” Clarke agreed. She wanted to see planes and trains and cars and boats. Lexa had explained, on their tour, most were gone. Re-purposed for houses and shelter, but every once in awhile they'd find a car untouched. Clarke had thought back to the buried car Finn had found when they first arrived. She hadn't even   
been able to comprehend that they were hiding in a real car because she'd been too worried about the acid fog. 

“We will go,” Lexa said with a small smile. “Dinner should be ready,” she added. Clarke nodded. The day had passed so quickly...

“Okay,” Clarke said moving away from the railing. “I'm going to check on everyone first,” she told Lexa as they crossed the bridge. Lexa nodded. 

 

Clarke was surprised that Lexa went with her to the barracks. Since it was evening, it was full of young soldiers gathered to eat. But they all stopped and gaped as Lexa entered behind Clarke. She said nothing as she followed Clarke up the stairs. 

“You don't randomly show up places, do you?” Clarke asked softly. Lexa said nothing, but gave Clarke a brief, small smile. 

Upstairs Raven was talking loudly, obviously in a good mood. “Clarke!” she shouted from where she sat. She waved her over and held up a box. 

“Is that for the radio?” Clarke asked. 

“Yeah. It was easy since they have all these parts that were used in airplanes and other ships, so the range it wider like the range on our radio to the Ark,” Raven explained happily. “Built three, we send them out, and then communication is set up.”

“Already?” Clarke asked impressed. 

“Yeah and Wick will say he did a lot, but he did most of the taking apart and I did the putting together,” Raven said. 

“Hey!” Wick called. “I identified a lot of the parts based on old manuals and instructions,” he said. Raven rolled her eyes. 

“And then I put it together and got it working!” Raven called back. “They want me to work on cameras,” Raven said turning her attention back to Clarke. “Echo said the last camera broke before she was born, but the images are all based on reusable slides that take the image off the slide and redevelop it onto paper,” Raven rambled. 

“It's kind of archaic, but I mean, it's a camera,” Wick added. Clarke nodded. 

“Where's everyone else?” she asked. Raven shrugged taking the bowl Wick offered her. 

“Octavia showed up with Jasper around lunch saying they were going to find Bellamy. Some of the others are in another barracks,” Raven said simply. 

“Bellamy is with my troops,” Echo said as she reached the top of the stairs. “He is telling them about his life as a soldier. Octavia is eating with the seconds, Lincoln is with Jasper and the other healers.” 

Lexa nodded at Echo. “Clarke, you should visit the healers tomorrow. There is a lot you can teach them,” Lexa said. It sounded like something Clarke should have done when they arrived, but her skills must not have been needed immediately. She wondered what kind of medical supplies they had or what plants they used. If the events with Anya and her seconds were any indication though there was a lot she'd be able to teach them. And maybe eventually, her mother would come out and help them too. 

“I will,” Clarke agreed. 

“You should teach Jasper how to mix poison and whatever you attacked us with. I bet he'd been good at it,” Raven piped up. Clarke nodded. 

“Talk to him when he gets back,” Clarke said. The entire house was smelling of food and it was making her stomach growl. “I'll see you tomorrow,” Clarke added.   
Raven nodded and waved as she continued to eat. 

“Bye!” Wick called. 

“We are going out on a run tomorrow. I was going to take Bellamy,” Echo said to Clarke before she left. 

“That's fine,” Clarke told her. While she viewed Bellamy as her equal, most people assumed he was her second. She guessed that he'd turned into that during the war.   
Even if they'd made decisions together. He didn't seem to mind though and Clarke wasn't going to label it. 

 

Clarke and Lexa walked silently in sync with each other. Time definitely passed faster in Polis then it had anywhere else on the ground.

“Tomorrow you will go to the healers and the next day I will take you outside the walls,” Lexa said shutting the front door behind her. 

“Maybe we will have a camera by then,” Clarke said. She'd love to be able to take pictures even though she could draw fairly well. 

“I've always wanted a camera,” Lexa said almost sadly. 

“What would you take pictures of?” Clarke asked as they sat down to eat. Lexa smiled, looking Clarke in the eye. 

“Of you,” she said softly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [whispers] I can't wait until they have a camera.
> 
> Feel free to stop by and say hi >>> lexatargaryen.tumblr.com


	12. Chapter 12

The nightmares were fading. Clarke found she was being ripped awake by realistic terrors less and less. She wasn't waking up screaming or sweating, heart pounding in her chest, entire body tense. She was sleeping soundly, mind empty. And it was a relief. 

She was sure Lexa noticed, being in the same camp and now in the same house. She had to notice that Clarke wasn't screaming her lungs out in the middle of the night. But Lexa said nothing. 

“This building, the lower half of it survived the war and has been reenforced over time,” Lexa explained standing with Clarke in front of what she'd called the Healing   
Center. It was a wide building, but not as tall as most of the ones around it. The structure was mostly various metals with heavy looking support logs. People were going in and out of the front doors, nodding and murmuring Heda as they passed. 

“Do you know what the building was originally? Before the war?” Clarke asked. Lexa nodded. 

“The stories say it was a school.”

The idea that it had been a school sent a chill through Clarke. Children once walked through the doors to learn. How long had it been a school? How many generations passed through the doors? And how many children didn't survive the war? 

Clarke shook her head to get rid of the thoughts. She followed Lexa up the steps and through the doors. The lighting was very dim and voices echoed throughout the hall they stood in. 

The sick are treated on the left and the medicine is made on the right. On the roof there is a garden where we grow supplies.” 

Clarke nodded. She had tried to convince Jasper to accompany her, but he said it reminded him too much of Monty. Clarke sighed. She hadn't been in the greenhouses on the Ark often, but there was a familiar smell of plants and soil and healing. Monty would have been such a help... 

She knew she should talk to Jasper more and not let him descend into depression, but she didn't want to face the reality either. She didn't want to be reminded that she'd been too late and some of her friends... 

“Clarke,” Lexa called. She had started down the hall to the left. Clarke moved to walk with her into an open room set up with pallets. Only two people were lying down and the room was otherwise empty. 

A man appeared through a door on the other side of the room, giving Clarke and Lexa a startled look. He spoke in grounder to Lexa. She responded in grounder. 

“He says you can look at the patients,” Lexa told Clarke. “They are not sick, only injured. Ory was thrown off her horse. Hunter was attacked by an animal on a run,” Lexa translated. Clarke went to Ory first. She had to be no more then ten. Her dark skin was beaded with sweat and her lips were dry. 

“What did she hurt?” Clarke asked Lexa. She listened to Lexa and the grounder discuss what had happened.

“West says there was damage to her back,” Lexa said. Clarke frowned. She took the girls pulse noting that it was fast and erratic. She was afraid to move her if there was damage to her back, but the fever – Clarke was worried about internal bleeding. 

“Can we turn her over?” Clarke asked. Lexa asked and then nodded. With the help of West, Ory was turned over. Clarke moved the girls shirt and saw bruising in her lower back that concerned her. “She needs to be sent to my mother,” Clarke concluded. “My mom can help fix the internal bleeding,” Clarke added. That seemed to anger West. 

“We have stuff here for internal bleeding,” Lexa told Clarke. “A compress. Are you sure it's internal bleeding?” 

Clarke nodded. “Her back and neck should also be supported until she is healed. When did this happen?” Clarke asked directing her question at West. She had a feeling he could understand her. 

“Barely an hour ago. He was called into the Healing Center because of the accident,” Lexa explained. 

“Then he needs to get to work if he won't let me send her,” Clarke said watching West stiffen. He muttered something Clarke couldn't understand and then turned on his heel leaving the room. 

“Do you need a brace board?” Lexa asked. Clarke looked at her. 

“A what?” 

“A brace board,” Lexa repeated. “If you are worried about her neck and spine then you need a brace board.” 

“Can you show it to me?” Clarke asked. She could assume what Lexa was talking about, but without knowing what it was she didn't have an answer. Lexa pointed to the closet on the far wall. Clarke went over to pull on the ancient doors. The closet was more of another small room. Much like the room with old electronics, there were bins full of unused supplies. Well, she figured it was unused because of how dusty it was. 

Clarke peeked into the boxes curious. Lots of tubing and vials. Some boxes held old parts to machines and monitors. Tons of tweezers and bandage scissors. Clarke pushed another bin back into place and went to the side of the room with dirty windows. She wondered what they were made out of since it didn't look like glass. 

She found the brace board, or at least what she assumed was the brace board. It was almost like a stretcher except more rigid with leather straps to hold the body into place along with a specific neck support. Clarke picked it up, being careful not wanting to knock over anything. 

She took the brace over to Ory. West was applying foul smelling paste to the dark bruises and covering it in linen that had leaves stuck to it. He looked at Clarke holding the brace, frowned, but said nothing. Under Lexa's watch, he helped Clarke strap Ory down. Clarke refrained from mentioning that if there was damage they had probably made it worse by moving her. 

“Let me check her feet,” Clarke said when Lexa started to move on. Lexa watched as Clarke removed Ory's boots. She took out the tweezers she'd pocketed and ran them up the arches of Ory's feet. All her toes twitched which caused Clarke to sigh in relief. “It's a good sign. But she should be getting fluids and medicine. Like you know how we had IV's, the ones in their arms, putting stuff into their bodies while they slept?” Clarke asked. Lexa nodded. “Do you have hollow needles? There is plenty of tubing and it is reusable.”

Lexa called to West. He shook his head. “We will ask Zozo,” Lexa said to Clarke. She nodded. She didn't really want to look at Anya's sister again. They looked too much alike. 

They moved over to Hunter who had a large gash in his leg. He was awake and alert, but he'd been cut nearly to the bone. “What was it packed with?” Clarke asked lifting the bandage up. Whatever it was smelled spicy and was a faint blue color. 

“It is a combination of plants that promote tissue growth,” Lexa stated after she spoke with West. “The plants break down as the wound heals. It also prevents infection and keeps the wound sterile. The thread for stitches comes from a fiber found in certain trees. It is tough and very fine.”

Clarke nodded while looking at the wound. The leg seemed to be very healthy and clean like Lexa said. 

“Can I see the room with the plants?” Clarke asked. Lexa nodded. “I'll come back to check on Ory too,” she said to West who bristled, but remained silent. 

The room with the planets and herbs was just as big as the other room and crowded with a garden of plants most of which Clarke had never seen before. The ceiling of the room had been replaced with windows letting sunlight hit the right places. There were also fires in the room keeping it hot and, along with the watering   
system, humid. 

Clarke found it amazing. 

Most of the workers in the room were young, attending to the plants with small, nimble fingers. Older men and women sat by the fires and at benches sorting and mixing different medicines. All of them watched Clarke and Lexa. 

“This is amazing,” Clarke said to Lexa. 

“It is one of the most important stories. The ones about healing are taught to all, but are memorized by those who choose to heal,” Lexa explained. 

“Your people don't read or write?” Clarke asked catching on that the grounders had many stories. 

“Reading is very limited. We do not have a written language. The stories say that the radiation mutated and burned, causing writing to become impossible,” Lexa recited. Clarke thought of her school days digging through old history books to read about the world or writing essays.

Clarke nodded. She didn't know what she was supposed to say. That she could teach them? She didn't want to seem like she thought of herself as superior though. 

“Can we go to Zozo now?” Clarke asked. The room was making her sweat. Lexa nodded leading the way out. 

 

The blacksmiths worked on the far edge of the Southern side of the city. There were six ovens with blazing fires lighting up the entire area. Clarke counted twelve people currently working on a variety of items. She had expected it to all be weapons, but only one woman seemed to be crafting a sword. 

Lexa walked through the compound unnoticed. Clarke followed hot on her heels. The building was sweltering, but all the workers wore heavy looking leather aprons over their clothes. Zozo stood pounding out what looked like extra long nails. 

Lexa tapped Zozo's shoulder. She turned, smiling at Lexa, but when she saw Clarke her face turned expressionless again. Lexa spoke to her in grounder and the girl nodded. She pulled a notebook out of her pocket, offering it to Clarke. 

“Draw it,” Lexa told Clarke. Clarke nodded taking the notebook. She flipped through the many designs stopping on one of a needle. Clarke held the page while also opening to a fresh page. She took the charcoal and did her best to draw a hollow needle. 

“Like this one, but with no center,” Clarke explained to Lexa flipping between both drawings. Lexa translated to Zozo who nodded. She spoke to Lexa, taking the notebook back.

“She said come back tomorrow and she will have the needle,” Lexa said. Clarke nodded. 

“Thank you,” Clarke said to Zozo. She stared at Clarke before finally giving her a small nod. 

 

“You didn't have to come everywhere with me today,” Clarke told Lexa as they headed home, the sun sinking low in the sky. 

“I wanted to, Clarke,” Lexa told her. They'd been to check on Ory twice. Her condition was, thankfully, improving. Clarke had gone to see Jasper, but found that Bellamy had convinced him to go out to the training yard. Lincoln and Octavia were preparing for the journey back to Tondc with the radios. Raven and Wick were neck deep in spare parts. 

And while Clarke had drifted from place to place, Lexa had stood, mostly silent, at her side. The most talking she had done was when she was translating. 

“It was nice,” Lexa added. Clarke smiled to herself. She didn't know if Lexa knew, but Clarke could definitely tell that she was more relaxed and loosening up around   
Clarke. She liked seeing Lexa that way. It made her more relaxed. 

“Are we still going to see airplanes tomorrow?” Clarke asked. The more she thought about it, she was pretty excited to explore more of the woods and area around Polis. 

“Yes,” Lexa said holding the door for Clarke. As Clarke passed her she was suddenly hit with the desire to kiss Lexa. The desire had been growing steadily inside Clarke over the last few days. And the more she saw of Lexa and learned about her, the more she liked her. She loved the Lexa had gone around the city with her instead of letting her wander on her own. But she wanted more. She'd briefly seen Lexa drop her guard during the war and she saw her relax more in Polis, but Clarke wanted to know her truly. She wanted to know what Lexa was like when no one was watching. 

“We will leave in the afternoon,” Lexa added. Clarke nodded pushing down the desire. The way Lexa gave her a small smile though, was making it very hard to resist the desire.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope everyone enjoyed! Next chapter will be Lexa's POV and just a little hint, you won't want to miss it. ;)


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I looooooooved writing this chapter even though it was hard writing so much Lexa. Hope everyone enjoys.

It felt good to wake up in her own bed every morning. It was nice to dress in the warmth between the walls, behind the curtain covered windows. She didn't have to rush. She could take her time washing and brushing her teeth. 

But not an excessive amount of time. Everything was routine though. That's how she liked it. 

Sure, the battle feild was exhilarating and alive. But war was never easy. It wore her down. It tested her resolve and her strength. So to have a time of peace where she wasn't jerked awake by impending doom was nice. 

Lexa moved from her room to her office. She heard no noise coming from down the hall, so she assumed Clarke was still asleep. There was a meeting coming. The other clans had regrouped and chosen their new leaders. Negotiations and rules needed to be reviewed and discussed. Preferably before winter was upon them. 

The war has messed with the weather. For the most part, their winters were mild. Cold, but no real threats of snow. And then there were years with heavy cloud cover and snow as high as the buildings. The weather so far spoke of a mild winter, but they could never be too cautious. 

 

Clarke was downstairs eating when Lexa entered the kitchen. It was still unreal, seeing Clarke sitting so calmly in the kitchen. It was unreal to see anyone in the kitchen. Like a dream. That's what it was like. A dream. 

She wanted to reach out and touch Clarke's golden hair. It always hung in waves and she longed to comb her fingers through and braid them. It was something she'd learned in training, how to braid. She could still feel Anya's fingers combing through her hair. She remember what it was like when she first learned how to quickly move nimble fingers fast to pull the braid tight...

“Morning,” Clarke said without looking up from what she was doing. Lexa said nothing, crossing the room to her side of the table. She sat down and ate while staring at Clarke who was hunched over the notebook she'd been given. 

Lexa wanted to ask what she was drawing, but she knew a persons drawings were a personal thing. She didn't want to overstep or make Clarke feel it necessary to show Lexa. She ate slowly, watching Clarke scribble away and occasionally look up to eat. 

She was going to show Clarke the airplane. She hadn't been to the site in months since it wasn't a spot she needed to go to, but the idea of a casual outing felt nice. It would be relaxed. Her warriors wouldn't be crowded into her space. They'd be posted further out to watch. She'd be able to tell Clarke the story about the airplane. They could discuss what it must have felt like to fly between the clouds. 

“Do you think Ory is okay?” Clarke asked abruptly. She'd lifted her head and was giving Lexa a worried looked. 

“I would be informed of her death,” Lexa said to soothe her worries. She was glad she hadn't because she wanted to see Clarke's idea. She'd seen the use of IVs help her people in the mountain, but she wanted to know if it'd work in Polis, if Clarke's knowledge could be used. 

Clarke nodded, shutting her journal. “I'm done eating,” she said. Lexa nodded and stood. 

“We will go to Zozo. She should still be at her home,” Lexa explained as they went to the front door. Clarke trailed behind her nodding. 

 

They wound through the streets until reaching Zozo's home. She lived in a short building with three other people. When the front door was opened, Weg, a butcher, welcomed them and alerted Zozo of their arrival. 

Lexa watched Clarke's curious eyes wander over the items on the shelves and the blankets and pillows on the furniture. Lexa wondered if Clarke recognized any of the items as they had all been passed down through generations as pre-war objects. 

“These are from a game,” Clarke said pointing to a set of tiny red and green houses with a metal dog in the middle. “They are from Monopoly,” she added. Lexa stared at her not know what monopoly was. Instead of asking, she nodded. The origins of most pre-war objects had been lost. 

Zozo appeared from a back room with a folded cloth in her hand. She eyed Clarke and spoke to Lexa, directly, in Trigedasleng. 

“Six needles. Three smaller,” she explained unfolding the cloth. Lexa nodded and turned to Clarke for her opinion. 

“They are perfect,” Clarke said with a smile. Zozo gave a short nod and handed the cloth to Clarke. 

“What are they for?” Zozo asked Lexa still speaking in Trigedasleng even though Lexa knew that she spoke English. She'd spent enough time with Anya to be fluent. 

“Medicine. To put it in the body,” she explained. Zozo stiffened. “I have seen it done,” Lexa reassured her. 

“For Ory?” Zozo asked eying Clarke. 

“For Ory,” Lexa confirmed. Clarke was watching them speak, but said nothing. “Come on Clarke,” Lexa said switching to English. She headed out the door with Clarke following. She knew she should teach Clarke Trigedasleng, at least the basics. It was only fair since she was staying in Polis. 

Lexa made a mental note to start teaching Clarke. She was not used to being the teacher except when it came to leading. She did not teach language.

 

The healing center was as empty as it was the day before. Clarke went into the closet after checking Ory who still seemed feverish. Clarke returned with a bag and tubing and asked to go to the gardens. There Lexa translated what Clarke needed. Fresh, warm water, and a variety of herbs. 

Lexa, silently, watched Clarke fill the bag with the mixture they had made for her. She appeared skeptical, but optimistic. Lexa observed how Clarke hung the bag with some string to a nail on the wall and then set about finding a vein in Ory's hand. 

She explained each step which Lexa noted and cataloged away in her mind. Clarke pushed the needle into Ory's hand and then slowly removed part of the clasp on the tubing. Lexa looked at Ory. Her people died because their treatment was inferior. If they could manage to incorporate Clarke's medical knowledge... They needed Clarke in the past, but perhaps now was when the time was right. 

“I'll check on her when we get back,” Clarke said smoothing Ory's hair. Lexa nodded. She moved her eyes to West who observed from the corner. He did not looked pleased. 

“Do not touch her,” Lexa ordered in Trigedasleng. Clarke looked over her shoulder at West who went back to looking busy. “Come,” she said to Clarke. Lexa knew that Clarke would want to check on all her people before they headed out. Lexa wanted to use their time efficiently, not stand around watching someone who needed time to heal. 

 

They went to the training yard first. They were all excited to see Lexa, begging her to show them her sword work. She denied their requests saying she had a lot to do. But that didn't stop her from pausing to watching them jump back into sparring positions. 

She needed to teach Clarke how to fight properly. Lexa added it to her mental list of things to teach Clarke. 

Lexa stood behind Clarke, hand on the hilt of her sword, moving her eyes from Clarke checking Bellamy's fingers, to those practicing in the background. Most of them were preparing to be moved out to towns like Tondc which had been badly effected during the war. Some of them would be chosen as seconds by surrounding villages. But most of them would be moved out to watch and patrol the area surrounding Polis. 

“Do you have anything like squishy?” Clarke asked Lexa pulling her out of her thoughts. She watched Clarke make a squeezing motion with her hand. “Not too soft, but not to hard. Like a ball? Or clay?” she continued. 

“Clay,” Lexa said wondering why Clarke wanted it. She turned her attention by to where the Sky People stood watching Lincoln spar. Guns took no skill. They crashed through the forest destroying everything that moved. Her warriors knew how to move with the forest, with the rain and the wind. They were silent and steady. They were trained in hand to hand combat as well as archery. They did not need guns. 

“Jasper is good with a bow,” Echo said to Clarke coming up behind Bellamy. She was someone Lexa thought would be gone forever. Every time she saw her with the new warriors, she felt a rush of relief. 

“He's had target practice,” Clarke said. Her tone hinted that he'd had practice shooting at people and Lexa figured they were probably her people. 

“And Bellamy is good at orders,” Echo said playfully. Lexa went back to tuning them out and surveying the warriors in front of her. Most of them would probably never see someone murdered by gunfire in their lives. And that pleased her. Guns were part of the reason the Earth was destroyed in the first place. And guns kept her people suffering for one hundred years after. 

“Okay now just Raven and Wick,” Clarke said to Lexa. She nodded. 

 

The room they worked in was a mess. Raven was carefully stepping over piles of wires and parts to hand Clarke a camera. Excitement rushed through Lexa at the thought of taking pictures. 

“Good job, Raven,” she said politely. Both Raven and Clarke looked surprised by Lexa's comment, but she remained looking indifferent. She was proud of Raven and thought it only right to let her know. 

“Thanks,” Raven said with a small smile. Lexa nodded. 

“I just came to check in,” Clarke was saying as Raven limped back to a desk. 

“Yeah, yeah I'll see you later!” Raven called without looking up. She was already absorbed in her project. Lexa admired her work ethic. It reminded her a lot of Zozo and Anya and Echo. All people who worked hard even when they didn't have to. That wasn't to say there were Trigedakru that didn't work hard, but some stood out more than others. People who were passionate about their jobs. 

 

Lexa and Clarke walked in silence to where the horses were kept. Lexa pulled herself onto her horse and watched Clarke sigh and mount her horse. She was getting increasingly graceful even if she was tired of riding. 

They were joined at the gate by Mar and three other warriors. All had already been informed o their destination. 

Lexa didn't push a rough pace because she didn't want Clarke to be uncomfortable. She could tell the others did not understand except for Mar who had accompanied them from the mountain. But they rode in silence, Lexa glancing at Clarke every so often. Clarke's eyes were fixated on the trees they rode through. All of them tall, reaching for the sky and clumped together over the worn Earth. 

Lexa and Clarke broke away from the others headed towards a hill. Lexa knew it wasn't really a hill, but the remains of a building that held airplanes. Over the years, grass and trees had covered it giving the building the appearance of a hill. 

She dismounted first, leading her horse to a tree and tying the reigns. Clarke followed suit. 

“Is it in there?” Clarke asked pointing to the lumpy hill. Lexa nodded. 

“Yes. There is a door here,” Lexa said walking over to the side. She brushed aside some vines and yanked the door open. Clarke gasped when she saw inside. 

“It's like a tomb,” she said walking inside. The room was spacious, held up by roots and ancient supports from the old building. Sun light filtered in through gaps in the roots illuminating most of the room. Everything had been cleared out except for the one plane looming in the back half in shadow. 

The airplane stood covered in years of dust and dirt. Vines and planets sprouted from inside it. Birds nests sat in the wheels. But what Lexa liked about it most was the face painted on the from. Red eyes that probably once were shining bright and a huge grin filled with sharp pointed teeth. 

“The face was something fighter pilots did in the past. Way before the war,” Lexa said sitting on the ground. She had forgotten how much she loved the plane. 

“There was a war a hundred years before Earth was destroyed. Fighter pilots painted their airplanes,” Lexa continued. She watched Clarke reach out to touch the front of the plane. 

“I think it was World War II,” Clarke said. 

“Mmm,” Lexa hummed. She only knew there were many wars before Earth was destroyed, not what their names were. 

“I wonder why this one was still here,” Clarke said turning back to reach out and touch the wings. 

“The stories don't say, but there were many planes here. Like it was storage,” Lexa told her. When she'd first seen the plane, when she was younger, she had been with Anya. Anya told her the stories about the plane and Lexa tried to imagine what it was like to fly. She imagined it was like when she rode her horse as fast as it could go or when the wind was so strong it was hard to stand. 

“This is amazing,” Clarke murmured. Lexa smiled. She was happy Clarke found the plane interesting. 

“You should draw it,” Lexa said boldly. Clarke turned to her grinning. Lexa gave her a small smile. 

And there was a flash. 

Clarke had taken a picture of her. “I want to remember what you look like when you smile,” Clarke said walking over the Lexa. She nodded. 

“I want to remember your smile too,” she said. Clarke smiled handing her the camera. She showed Lexa the button to push and then sat down and smiled. Lexa lined the window up and pressed the button creating another flash. Clarke continued smiling as she pulled out the journal and stick of charcoal. 

The sat silently while Clarke sketched and Lexa admired the plane. She wasn't sure how much time had passed, but the light in the building shifted with the sun. Lexa liked the way it turned Clarke's hair into sunlight and illuminated her skin. She took another picture of Clarke lost in concentration over her drawing. 

Lexa leaned back, legs stretched in front of her and arms bracing her as she leaned back. It was quiet and still unlike the camps or the mountain or Polis. It was serene. 

Clarke shifted next to her so that she was facing Lexa's side. “What are you drawing now?” Lexa asked watching Clarke's hand move across the page. 

“You,” Clarke said without looking up. Lexa felt happiness wash over her. She wanted Clarke to say it again and again and again. She smiled looking back up at the broken ceiling. 

“Can I see?” she asked. Clarke said nothing. All Lexa heard was the scratch of the pencil. 

“Lexa?” Clarke asked. Lexa turned to look at her. Clarke had charcoal smeared across her cheek. “Thank you for bringing me here,” she said looking genuinely happy. Lexa smiled, looking away. 

Clarke went back to her drawing and Lexa hummed softly. She loved music, but there were certain songs she remembered from when she was very little. Songs she would sing while skipping down the road or doing work. Songs she didn't sing anymore. Songs she hadn't wanted to sing again. 

Until now. Sitting in the room with only Clarke buried deep in the forest, the melodies of the songs drifted into her mind. 

She continued humming softly, unable to bring herself to sing the words. That still seemed too private. Although one day... one day she wouldn't mind sharing the songs with Clarke. 

Lexa looked over at Clarke when she realized she couldn't hear Clarke drawing. She met Clarke's gaze. Clarke didn't move and watched Lexa with an unreadable expression. Lexa kept her expression neutral while continuing to lock eyes with Clarke. 

She wanted to say something, but she had nothing. The song was running through her mind as she listened to the sound of birds somewhere in the distance. That and the sound of her heart beating slightly faster than normal and the sound of Clarke's soft breathing. 

She watched Clarke close her journal and place it to the side. She moved onto her knees and reached out. Lexa expected her to go for the camera, but instead Clarke placed her hand against Lexa's cheek. 

Lexa remained still, waiting for Clarke's direction. Clarke shifted her gaze, rubbing her thumb across Lexa's cheek for a moment before looking up again. Lexa opened her mouth slightly to let out a slow breath. 

Clarke lowered her eyes and leaned forward placing her lips lightly against Lexa's. 

Lexa waited two heartbeats before lifting one hand to cup Clarke's face and hold her close. Clarke moved her lips slowly against Lexa's. Lexa followed. She didn't want to push Clarke. She wanted to let Clarke let her know what she was comfortable with. 

Clarke broke the kiss for a moment to move her head and kiss Lexa harder. Moving their mouths together over and over. Until she had to move back to take a deep breath. 

Lexa was breathing hard too. She wanted more. She wanted to feel Clarke against her, but she wanted Clarke to want it too. She had said she needed time so Lexa waited patiently. 

Clarke looked up at Lexa shyly, her lips pink and swollen. Lexa licked her own lips watching Clarke carefully. 

“I wanted that,” Clarke told Lexa so that she knew it was a calculated decision. Lexa nodded as Clarke sat back on her knees. 

“I wanted that too,” Lexa told her still breathing hard. Clarke gave her a small smile, packing away her journal and charcoal. 

“I got charcoal on your face,” Clarke murmured without looking up. Lexa wiped her face with the back of her hand. “Here,” Clarke said reaching out to wipe it off with a cloth she used to clean her hands. Lexa reached out to wipe away the smudge on Clarke's face with her fingers. Clarke leaned into Lexa's touch. 

And Lexa leaned forward to place one more soft kiss on Clarke's lips. Clarke sighed happily as excitement rushed through Lexa. She said nothing, but smiled at Clarke as the delicate moment settled down. She let her hand fall from Clarke's face into her lap. Clarke picked up the camera and looked at Lexa. 

She snapped the picture before putting the camera in her bag. “I want to remember this moment,” she said standing. Lexa gave her a small smile getting to her feet. 

She wanted to remember it too. Every second of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a note, but Lexa spends most of the time observing how Clarke interacts with people to learn about her. When she feels she knows Clarke better she will change how she interacts with people to her normal habits. Right now Lexa is learning rather then take full control of situations for Clarke. Does that make sense? I hope it did because I don't want it to seem like Lexa is too passive or something. 
> 
> Anyway hope everyone enjoyed!
> 
> PS come say hi >>> lexatargaryen.tumblr.com


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a little short, but I hope you enjoy!

Clarke wasn't sleeping again. It wasn't nightmares though. Not this time. Now it was too many thoughts about moving forward. What came next. What she wanted to do. 

Octavia had left with Lincoln. Bellamy and Jasper were training. Raven and Wick worked never ending hours. 

And Clarke felt like she was in the middle doing nothing. It wasn't true, her days were usually spent in the hospital or above the city. Ory had pulled through and Clarke was doing physical therapy with her to get her walking again. But it didn't feel like enough. 

And part of her problem was she didn't know where things were supposed to go with Lexa. Every night and every morning and every moment she had alone to herself, she was looking at the photographs. They were nowhere near the quality she'd been used to in the Ark. Instead they were soft and faded with diluted colors. But Clarke loved them. She kept them in her journal where she could always look at them. 

Two days ago Lexa's mood changed. She didn't act different, but Clarke could feel it. Lexa was on edge. And all Clarke wanted to do was ask her why and kiss her and make her smile... but every time she reached out, she pulled her hand back. Things with Lexa needed to be done right. While their first kiss might have seemed spontaneous, looking back on it, Clarke knew it was a calculated and thought out move. Everything with Lexa was. And Clarke was afraid to disrupt that. 

So it disrupted her sleep. 

In the still darkness, Clarke finally decided to get up and go down stairs, hoping that walking around would put her at ease. She turned on the hall lights and stood in front of the portraits. She lifted her hand to run her fingers over the rough surfaces. There was art like this all over Earth, but it hadn't been on the Ark. 

Clarke moved away from the paintings, feeling their eyes watch her as she descended the stairs. It was very still on the first floor, but it was even when the sun was out. Clarke went to the living room on the right. She had barely been in the room as Lexa never did either. 

It was like other houses Clarke had been in. Pre-war items on shelves, decaying books, faded photographs. But the biggest draw of the room was the piano. 

She'd seen one in the mountain, much grander then the one in the living room, but regardless, there hadn't been a piano on the Ark. It wasn't required for survival. 

Clarke sat on the bench, which creaked loudly, and lifted the cover. The white keys had turned gray with time, but otherwise it appeared fine. Clarke knew it probably wasn't in tune. Or maybe it was. It just looked untouched. 

She placed her fingers delicately on the keys, but didn't push down. The house was so quiet, she was afraid she was going to wake Lexa. 

Part of her wanted to, wake Lexa that was. She wanted to hear what Lexa had to say about the piano. Like she had with the plane. She wanted to hear Lexa's stories and her songs, not just her short sentences Clarke got outside the confines of the house. 

It made her wish she had more stories, but a lot of the stories she grew up with talked about how great the Ark was for saving human kind. They were stories about how great the land was going to be when they landed again and retook the Earth. 

Too bad the Earth already belonged to people. And maybe over time her people would belong too, but everyone would know that they'd once come from the sky. They ran and destroyed the Earth leaving behind a slew of people forced to figure out how to survive even though everything had been burned and wiped away.

Clarke pressed down on the key. It made a low almost groan like sound. A key further to her right made a higher note. She tried to think of songs she'd heard played on pianos that were heard on radios.

Nothing came to mind though. All the songs, they were muted in her memories. She had artists she liked, but never a favorite. She liked the quiet when she drew. She was used to the quiet. Besides, music, the arts, they hadn't been big on the Ark. A lot of it was written off as wasted time. 

“Can you play?” 

Clarke jumped banging her knees on the piano. She turned to scowl at Lexa, but her appearance threw Clarke off. She was wearing baggy pants that tied at the waist and a shirt that was falling off her shoulder. She looked tired, like she'd woken up maybe a minute ago. Clarke watched Lexa yawn. 

“Did I wake you up?” Clarke asked. 

“No, the light did,” Lexa said. 

“Oh,” Clarke murmured and turned back to the piano. “And no I don't play,” Clarke added. Lexa sat down wordlessly and spread her fingers out on the keys. She pressed lightly, a soft melody being pulled out of the ancient instrument. Clarke liked it. But the song sounded sad. There were uplifting parts, but as the song progressed, Clarke could hear the sadness in the song. 

It was still beautiful. She liked the way Lexa's fingers danced over the keys so delicately. 

And when it ended, when the last notes hung in the air, Clarke had the melody stuck in hear head. 

“That was beautiful,” Clarke said looking at Lexa. Her shoulders were slumped and her head was bowed. “Lexa?” Clarke asked quietly. 

“I haven't played in a long time, Clarke,” she said not moving. Clarke didn't know what to say. She wanted to ask why.

She wanted to say play it again... but instead she only nodded. Clarke sat staring at the piano wishing she could produce beautiful music like Lexa had. 

“Do you know the words to it?” Clarke finally asked not knowing if there even were words, but she felt she had to say something. 

“Yes,” Lexa said. “It was a secret,” she added. 

“What do you mean a secret?” Clarke asked. She looked at Lexa who had gone back to sitting up straight. 

“My mother taught me in private,” Lexa said. It was the first time Clarke had heard her reference her mother and from her tone, Clarke could tell her mother was gone. 

“Who knew?” Clarke asked although she could already assume the answer. 

“Her, Costia, and now you,” Lexa said her voice turning emotionless. 

“Did she sing the words?” Clarke asked. Lexa gave a short nod. 

“Both of them. And me,” she said flatly. Clarke looked back at the piano. Lexa had chosen to share her secret with her and that thought made Clarke happy, but the stoney expression on Lexa's face hurt. 

“Can you play it again?” Clarke whispered. Lexa stared at her. 

But eventually Lexa nodded and placed her hands on the piano. She played and Clarke tried to picture it. A tiny Lexa with her mother in some secret space playing and singing. Later, Lexa in the living room where she sat with Clarke, but a different girl next to her. A girl mentioned briefly to show Clarke she'd shared the same pain. That girl had sat next to Lexa and sang the words to the song that Lexa played so beautifully. 

Costia. Clarke could imagine it because she'd seen glimpses of Lexa that were meant only for people she held close. Clarke could imagine Costia sitting with Lexa while she played pretending the outside world didn't exist. 

And now Clarke sat there. She didn't know how long the spot had been empty, but the fact that Lexa was playing for her told Clarke she was okay with it being Clarke in the spot now. 

Clarke smiled. It was a surprise, but she liked that Lexa had secrets that Clarke was slowly learning. It made her wish she had more to share with Lexa. 

Lexa was still playing when Clarke decided to rest her head on Lexa's shoulder. It was a bold move, but she thought it would be okay. Lexa said nothing and continued playing which meant it was probably okay.

Clarke shut her eyes trying her best to commit the song to memory since she didn't know when she'd hear Lexa play it again. She wanted to remember the song and what it felt like. She wanted to remember how Lexa's long fingers stretched out over the keys and how she started to relax ever so slightly next to Clarke. 

It was another moment Clarke wished she could pause and live in forever. 

But the song ended and again Clarke listened to the note fade into the silence surrounding them. Clarke lifted her head to look at Lexa. Lexa was staring at her. While she showed no expression in her face, Clarke could see that her eyes were filled with sadness. 

She didn't know what to say next, but it didn't matter. Lexa leaned forward pressing a soft, chaste kiss to Clarke's lips. She pulled back slightly, but Clarke kept her eyes shut silently asking for more. 

“You should sleep,” Lexa said softly. Clarke nodded slowly opening her eyes. Lexa's face was still close to hers. “Tomorrow we ride for the hills,” she added. Clarke nodded again. She knew she should ask why or what they were doing, but she didn't want to break the moment with questions that would be answered in the morning. “Goodnight Clarke,” Lexa said softly, rising slowly to her feet. 

“Goodnight Lexa,” Clarke said and watched her go. Clarke turned to the piano and pulled the cover back over the keys. She ran through the song in her head. 

She wanted to learn the words to it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was listening to a lot of piano covers and decided I needed to write this little filler chapter. Especially since shit is about to get intense. Hope everyone enjoyed! 
> 
> This was the song Lexa was playing: [Elastic Hearts](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxTW8e7T9po)


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, so sorry this story hasn't been updated in so long. Writer's block and life were in the way. But I hope to get back on schedule with weekly updates!

The vibe of the previous night was completely erased by morning. In fact, Clarke found Lexa colder and stiffer as they prepared to ride out. Lexa's new war adviser, Arlo, was constantly speaking to Lexa in a hushed tone about how more warriors should accompany them, but all Lexa did was cut her off and say they would be fine. 

Clarke couldn't tell if Lexa was lying or not. She couldn't tell if Lexa was even worried or nervous or perhaps over confident. Lexa gave off no emotion. None. It made Clarke uneasy, but she remained quiet. 

She knew they were going to meet with people from the Ice Nation and that tension was high, even though it had always been. From what Clarke had gathered, even though the clans were in an alliance, they were not at peace. She didn't know _why_ they weren't, but no one had seemed willing to talk about it. 

“You don't even know what you're going there to speak about,” Raven told Clarke in a whisper. “What if fighting breaks out? We are sky people to them. They don't know us,” Raven reminded Clarke. Clarke said nothing. She was waiting for Bellamy after telling Lexa she wouldn't go without him. They were a team. “What if they want to know how you and Lexa survived in Tondc?”

The thought hadn't even crossed Clarke's mind. She knew the Ice Nation's adviser had been one of the people who didn't make it, but she didn't think the meeting could possibly be about that. If it was the alliance would break and the grounders would be at war with the Ice Nation. 

And Clarke wasn't ready for another war. 

“They won't,” she said. But her words were empty. Lexa had said very little about the meeting and now Clarke was starting to wonder why. If Lexa was keeping her in the dark to somehow hope to protect her...

“Be careful,” Raven muttered handing Clarke the radio. Clarke attached it to her belt nodding as she moved to meet Bellamy. 

“Are we sure this is a good idea?” he asked Clarke as they went to the horses. 

“I don't know, but I don't think it can be worse than our first meeting with grounders, with Anya,” Clarke told him. 

“Except we had guns then and back up. Now we have swords and bows, neither of which you are good at,” Bellamy pointed out. Clarke shrugged. Only having a knife was the least of her concerns. She still believed being heavily armed presented an unnecessary threat to a supposedly peaceful situation. 

“We will be fine Bellamy,” Clarke insisted. A young warrior held the reigns to Clarke's horse as well as another she assumed was for Bellamy. Clarke swung up onto her horse and watched the young warrior as he watched Bellamy saddle up. 

“Be strong Bellamy,” the kid said smiling. Bellamy smiled back as the kid took off. 

“Admirers?” Clarke asked raising an eyebrow. Bellamy laughed. 

“I see them every day,” he said. “I'm not up in the trees observing Polis as a whole. Nor do I stir up trouble. I've heard what they say about you Clarke.”

“Wow Bellamy. I can't believe you've turned into a saint,” Clarke said sarcastically. 

“I'm serious Clarke. A lot of the grounders still hate us. Think before you do things.”

“I'm not going to sit around and let people die because their medical knowledge is lesser,” Clarke snapped. Bellamy held up his hands. 

“I wasn't asking you to, but people know Lexa thinks highly of you and that could cause trouble if you continuously act like you are better than the grounders.”

Clarke stared at Bellamy. Never once had she thought she was better than the grounders. Her skills and knowledge were on a different level, but they were the ones to provide her with the tools she needed. She had no knowledge of the plants or how to make needles. She had come to Polis to spread knowledge and teach others what she knew to help them. Not to take away their pride. 

Before she could say anything else, Lexa called for them to move out. They were in the center of the group, riding in a rather protected formation. And while it didn't necessarily worry Clarke, it didn't comfort her either. 

 

They rode for hours until reaching a clearing with a single building in the middle. It was covered in vines and surrounded by tall grasses. There was even a tree protruding from the long gone roof. Clarke saw that once they rounded the side of the building the words MAR OOD had been painted onto the worn stone along with a compass. 

The came to a halt as another group emerged from the trees opposite of them. Clarke gripped her reigns tight. There were twice as many people with the Ice Nation. 

The leader yelled something and the Ice Nation halted a few yards from Lexa's group. Clarke watched Lexa and Arlo dismount and figured her and Bellamy should do the same. She didn't feel scared, but nervousness had twisted her stomach and made her palms sweat despite the cold in the air. 

Clarke and Bellamy went to stand with Lexa and Arlo in the space between the horses. Two people from the Ice Nation dismounted and joined them. Both were men who towered over the four of them. 

“Sending you out was a bold move,” one man spat at Lexa. 

“Under our alliance I should have no fear,” Lexa said flatly. 

“She wants terms renegotiated. Wants her people back as well,” the man said. 

“What is there to renegotiate?” Arlo asked, but Lexa help up her hand. 

“Your people were returned unharmed, rescued from Mount Weather at minimal cost. The threat of the Mountain is gone thanks to a war I fought. The terms remain as stated,” Lexa said. 

“That's not what the Queen wants. She will gladly end the alliance if her terms are not met. Se wants retribution for those who were lost. What price did you pay at Tondc? Your warriors survived.”

“All risks were known by the Queen of the Ice Nation. She lost her war adviser and his apprentice. So did other nations. They had a missile. Not everyone survives a missile.” 

“She wants-”

“The alliance remains as it is currently stated,” Lexa said. Clarke cringed at the force behind her voice. “If she wants to further discuss terms then she is welcome in Polis where the alliance can be reviewed, but it will not be changed under the demands of her new war council in Mar Ood. Further more, any attack breaking the alliance will result in a full on attack by my people, this I promise you.”

Lexa finished and there was silence. The Ice Nation man who'd done the speaking sneered at Lexa. 

“Do you think we fear the Trigedakru?” he threatened, but Lexa remained unmoving. 

“If there is nothing further to discuss I suggest we all move out,” Arlo said calmly. The Ice Nation man said something Clarke didn't understand, but still Lexa remained still and expressionless. 

“Remember last time little girl? Remember the screaming? I'd love to hear you scream as my Queen cuts into you,” he said. 

“Careful, the alliance still stands,” Arlo said. 

“Not for long. The Queen wants her demands met. Now.”

“I will send her warriors back. As for what happened in Tondc, I cannot bring back the dead. Our sympathies are with her,” Lexa said and turned to walk back to her horse. 

“Only the warriors not bound by the alliance will be returned,” Arlo added. The Ice Nation man said nothing. Instead he turned to Clarke. 

“Who are you?” he asked. 

“Clarke Griffin,” she said looking him in the eye. She'd done this before. Ever since they landed she'd been standing up to people who tried to intimidate her. She didn't mind adding one more to the list. “Of the Sky People,” she added if her name hadn't been enough. The other Ice Nation warrior spoke in grounder causing the first man to nod. 

“Change of plans Commander. We are taking the Skaikru girl,” the Ice Nation man said. Clarke hadn't realized Lexa was standing next to her. 

“She is not under my command,” Lexa said. The Ice Nation man reached out to grab Clarke when Bellamy drew his sword. Immediately everyone in the clearing was armed except for Clarke and the man. 

“We are not in an alliance with you,” Bellamy said to him. 

“We will start a war and we will win. The Trigedakru will ally with us leaving the Ice Nation vulnerable and at our mercy,” Clarke added. 

The Ice Nation man smiled and said something in grounder. Ice Nation weapons were put away. “Our Queen will want to meet with you.”

“I will be in Polis,” Clarke stated. “She can find me there. We are leaving now,” Clarke added. She held eye contact with the Ice Nation man until he looked away. He said something to his companion. 

“Your alliance with Skaikru could be dangerous,” he said to Lexa. 

“They are the reason our people are free. They are the reason the mountain is no longer a threat.” 

“Remember what they did to our people. The sky people have always been the enemy,” he said. 

“They are no longer the enemy,” Lexa said swiftly. “I remain allied with the Skaikru. The Queen should remember the reason her people no longer have to fear the mountain as well as remembering who cared for her dying people when they were rescued.”

“You talk as if you have the upper hand,” he said to Lexa. 

“I am allied with the Sky People.” 

“We will discuss this with the Queen,” he said. Lexa nodded. He turned to Clarke, but said nothing to her. Instead he called out to his group in grounder while letting his eyes bore into Clarke. She stood calmly waiting for him to move away. 

He and his companion did. Clarke briefly wondered in he was a second, before she turned with everyone else and went back to the horses. 

==================================================================

It was a relief to be in Lexa's house again. The walls made Clarke feel safe. When they returned to Polis she informed Bellamy that she was going to her house. He could tell their people what happened. She knew in the morning she'd have to discuss what happened with her mother and Kane and what they'd do if the Ice Nation wanted an alliance. She didn't know anything about the Ice Nation other then Lexa had been the first to unite their people. But it hadn't gone easily. 

She knew she would definitely discuss it with Lexa, but regardless of everything an alliance would be best. No one wanted to go to war again and Clarke was certain that if she was offered an alliance and didn't take it, there would be war. And it would have heavy casualties. 

Clarke trudged up the stairs and dragged her feet to her room. At least it had gone better than the meeting with Anya. At least for now. She didn't expect the Queen of the Ice Nation to take the news lightly if her people were ready to attack Clarke's people. 

She sighed. 

“It gets easier,” Lexa said from the doorway. Clarke looked at her over her shoulder. “Being a leader.”

Clarke shrugged and began shedding layers. 

“They will take the alliance,” Lexa added. Clarke said nothing. “She might try to attack your people, but if she does it'll be with disease that can't be traced back. They know your healing powers which is the Sky People's greatest asset. Even though that tactic has been used, it wasn't done by her personally.”

“So we just wait until everyone gets sick again?” Clarke snapped. 

“No you set up a meeting and tell her she will do exactly what I told you and she will make a deal with you. It's your safest option,” Lexa said calmly. 

“Is that what you'd do?” Clarke asked locking eyes with Lexa. 

“No,” Lexa said flatly. That'd been what Clarke assumed. She nodded. 

“Has she done that before?” Clarke asked sitting on her bed and pulling off her boots. 

“Yes. Many times.”

Clarke sighed. There weren't enough of her people left to risk a disease. Granted the mountain was full of supplies, but whatever sickness it was it wouldn't be cured easily. She ran a hand through her hair. She looked over at Lexa who stood expressionless in the doorway. Clarke stood up, moving across the wooden floor until she was toe to toe with Lexa. 

Clarke leaned forward, tilting her head, and kissing Lexa softly. She was surprised at how much she ached to drag Lexa to her bed and snuggle up against her. She pulled back looking at Lexa. Lexa's eyelids were lowered and her mouth was slightly open. She turned her eyes to Clarke. They stood there and Clarke didn't know how to do what she wanted to do next. She didn't know how to pull Lexa into her room, to her bed, to be with here in a space where she could pretend the outside world didn't exist. 

So she said nothing and kissed Lexa again and threaded her fingers into the thick waves of Lexa's hair. She wanted to kiss her until she couldn't breath. She wanted to kiss her until she drifted away to some unknown sanctuary...

But Lexa pulled back. Clarke opened her eyes to see Lexa's face covered in concern. She cupped Clarke's cheek. She continued staring at Clarke until Clarke finally looked at the floor and sighed. 

“I'll be fine,” Clarke whispered. 

“Liar,” Lexa murmured and pushed past Clarke. Clarke watched Lexa go to the other side of the bed and sit down. She was quickly undoing the buckles on her armor and clothes. 

Clarke wasn't sure if she was meant to shut the bedroom door but she did anyway. And then stood against it watching Lexa take off her boots. Finally Lexa stood and undid her pants, taking them off leaving her in her underwear and her long sleeved shirt. Clarke felt her cheeks burn. Lexa turned to Clarke and sat back down on the bed crossing her legs and waited. 

Again Clarke wasn't sure what she was supposed to do despite how obvious it was. She looked at Lexa and then the bed. She pushed away from the door and went to sit down. Clarke picked up her bed clothes. She was filled with nervousness that she wasn't used to. Clarke put her back to Lexa and quickly changed her shirt and pants. 

She took a moment to calm down before turning to face Lexa. Lexa's hair sat in a bun on top of her head and she looked oddly relaxed. Clarke had only caught glimpses of Lexa that much at ease. Lexa stretched, popping her back and then let herself fall back against the pillows. 

Clarke stared for a moment, Lexa looking warm and inviting as she lay against the pillows with the blankets tossed over her body. She rolled onto her side, propping her head up with her hand. Clarke immediately crawled under the covers. She lay on her back for a moment before turning on her side. The air between them suddenly felt hotter and Clarke found herself yearning to crawl on top of Lexa and kiss her until her lips bruised and push Lexa's shirt up and her pants down and put her hands _every where_.

Clarke took a deep breath. She needed to turn off the light and her mind... 

Lexa licked her lips. 

“I don't like being the little spoon,” Clarke said her voice sounding thick and heavy. Lexa nodded turning onto her other side. Clarke turned the light off and waited for her eyes to adjust to the dim room. She could hear Lexa breathing steadily. Clarke moved over to her so that her front was pressed against Lexa's back. Lexa relaxed against her. Clarke gently placed an arm over Lexa's middle and then willed herself to relax. 

“Is this okay?” Clarke asked even though she assumed from the unnatural relaxed nature of Lexa's body that it was. 

“Yes Clarke,” she said softly. Clarke let out a relieved breath. 

“Okay,” Clarke said pressing her forehead against Lexa's back. She could definitely get used to sleeping that way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed and thanks for you patience!


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry it's been so long, but I hope everyone enjoys this chapter! And a quick note, the Queen of the Ice Nation is based on my friend who is Latina and blonde.

Lexa naked in the bedroom was a sight Clarke could never have imagined. Sure she'd snuck peaks in the baths, but this? Lexa was naked for Clarke and the way her skin glowed in the moonlight had Clarke nearly drooling. The way her hips curved and her breasts sat predominantly on her chest... It was perfect.   
Clare couldn't hear what she was saying. The words that slipped off her lips were lost in the silence of the room, but she was probably singing. Singing songs that were long forgotten. Songs that survived centuries on the lips of those on the ground. 

Lexa moved towards Clarke, hips swaying with each step. Clarke loved how she held herself. Straight back, chin up, all of it made her bigger than she was. Imposing even. Like a mountain or the sun. 

She kissed Clarke, cupping her cheek in a warm hand. Her lips pressed softly and then stronger, harsher and needier. She twisted her hand in Clarke's hair pushing their bodies together. Clarke groaned eager to touch Lexa. 

Clarke let her hands roam as she slid her tongue into Lexa's mouth. 

“Clarke,” Lexa said. “Clarke get up.”

Clarke paused, pulling back from Lexa. Lexa mirrored Clarke's confused look before ordering Clarke out of bed. 

Clarke gasped, flailing as she opened her eyes. Her heart was racing. She looked at Lexa. She stood fixing her hair but was still in her underclothes. Clarke sat up. It was still dark out. 

“We were sent for. Raven has an urgent issue to discuss,” Lexa said meeting Clarke's stare in the mirror. She turned. Clarke wondered if she'd gone to receive the message dressed like that. Clarke decided that she probably did. 

“Okay,” Clarke said still swimming in the idea of Lexa naked. They bathed together and spent most nights together in Clarke's bed, but hadn't moved passed kissing. And Clarke was long past ready to move forward with their relationship. 

She just didn't know how. 

“And the Ice Nation Queen will arrive,” Lexa said. Clarke didn't admit to fearing the Queen. Whispers spread through Polis when it was announced that she was coming and nothing the whispers said was good. 

“Bellamy and I are prepared,” Clarke told her. They'd been preparing for well over a week with and without Lexa's council. While Clarke wanted to lean on Trigedakru, she knew that if she wanted peace to remain she had to prove that they as a clan could stand alone. 

Bellamy had pointed out that while their numbers were very, very small, they had advanced medical knowledge, as well as advanced weapons and technology. Clarke hoped it would be enough. 

Lexa said if anything the Queen would be interested in their medical knowledge since she favored biological warfare. So Clarke had tediously prepared notes on what they did to help the grounders who were in the mountain as well as what she'd done in the hospital in Polis. So far she hadn't killed anyone and had saved two people that would have normally died of their injuries. 

She had also taught Bellamy and Echo how to treat head injuries and basic triage and how to pack and treat wounds during a battle. They were passing the information on to the soldiers. 

Clarke hoped that everything would be enough.

“Get ready,” Lexa said and left Clarke's room. 

Clarke knew what she was wearing. Today, her people would wear their jackets from the Ark. She'd prepared everyone with layers to wear under to combat the crisp air because today they needed to stand apart. 

And while her jacket was worn, fraying, and bloodstained, it stood for them; the Arkers. 

 

Clarke and Lexa greeted Raven and Wick. Their meeting was to be private and with Raven not being very mobile, they decided to cram into their work space.   
“How are you Raven?” Clarke asked. She was paler and her face was twisted with pain, but she managed a short laugh and a smile. 

“Never fucking better,” she sighed. The cold was causing bolts of pain down her legs. It was due to nerve damage and Clarke gave her stuff to ease the pain, but she said it made her head foggy. 

Clarke gave her an apologetic look, but then went into serious mode. 

“We got a message from the mountain,” Raven started looking from Clarke to Lexa. “They went into the Dead Zone...” she trailed off but Lexa said nothing. “They found a piece of the ship, but it was empty and completely stripped...” she paused and bit her lip. “Clarke there was a tower next to it with a room full of computers. Computers that were running. The room was spotless so people were there. The computers seemed to be tracking something, people. Everyone. People all over the world. The rest was all under coded lock. But there are more people out there with technology.”

Clarke shivered. She felt like she forgot how to breath. Tracking? They saw nothing like that on Mount Weather's computers. 

“This is why we do not enter the Dead Zone,” Lexa said through her teeth. Her tone made Clarke shiver again. “Those who enter die.”

“But they survived,” Wick said. Clarke didn't dare look at Lexa. 

“They will go again and they will die,” Lexa said punctuating the word die. 

“I'll talk to them,” Clarke said quickly. “The people in the Dead Zone, they don't leave it right?”

“No they only hunt inside the Dead Zone,” Lexa said flatly. “Get the situation under control or it will become a threat.”

“Maybe they won't,” Raven offered. Lexa locked eyes with Clarke. 

“Your people feed off curiosity. Curiosity started a war. There is no room for the curious here. The rules are laid out in black and white and your people will cease to exist,” Lexa said harshly. Clarke held her gaze. There was no emotion in her eyes while Clarke knew her own eyes were telling Lex exactly what she felt. 

Fear. 

“Compose your message and send it. I will send riders to Mount Weather to retrive Kane and your mother so they may come her and discuss matters in person,” Lexa said sternly. Clarke nodded.

“Agreed,” she said knowing her response had nowhere near the amount of ferocity that Lexa's words had. Lexa nodded and left. “Tell my mother that we are sending for her so that we can discuss this in person. They are not to move into the Dead Zone until we talk,” Clarke said stiffly. 

“Okay,” Raven said with a nod. Clarke nodded too. “Are you ready for the Queen?” Raven asked. 

Inside Clarke was starting to panic, but she simply nodded. “I am,” she said mimicking Lexa's tone. Raven smiled.

“It's going to take more then that, but it's a good start,” Raven teased. “I'll send the message and then meet up with you.”

“Okay,” Clarke said. She was doing her best to only think about the meeting with the Queen. That was the priority right now. “And don't tell our people about this,” Clarke added. They already had enough threats to deal with. 

“Of course,” Raven told her. Clarke nodded to the both of them before leaving. She needed a moment to breathe but didn't have time. So she swallowed her bubbling fear and set off towards the barracks. 

 

They were waiting in the center of town. The Queen was making her way through to the main stage. Clarke stood with her people, Bellamy to her immediate left, and then Lexa to her immediate right. Arlo stood slightly behind Lexa with two of the officers and Echo. 

Clarke was determined to make the meeting go as smooth as possible without submitting to demands from the Queen. Lexa had told Clarke that the Queen would try to get her way and Clarke had to remain firm. The Queen was not unreasonable, but she was fierce. 

As the Queen entered the plaza, various warriors bowed to her. Clarke assumed they were part of the Ice Nation. She was surprised to see Echo bowing, but returned her eyes to the Queen.

She was not dressed as Clarke expected. Clarke had seen movies and read books about Queens. This Queen was dressed similar to Lexa the two primary differences being a blue sash tied from hip to waist and the necklace she wore that was full of beads dyed various colors. 

The Queen's hair was blonde, but darker then Clarke's. She had streaks of black charcoal across half her face and almond shaped eyes. She was probably a few years older than Lexa, but stood with confidence that surpassed age. 

“Heda,” she said with a small nod. Clarke was surprised to hear a different accent. “Clarke,” she said with another nod. “Sky people.” a third nod. “I am Queen Ice Storm of the Ice Nation.”

“I am Clarke Griffin of the Ark and with me stands Bellamy Blake,” Clarke said refusing to let her voice falter. 

“Let us commence this meeting Clarke Griffin and Bellamy Blake,” she said. 

“We will use the council room,” Lexa said and then descended the stage. 

The council room was a square flat building with one room filled with a circle of tables. There was a podium in the middle and a fire place at the back. Clarke entered and was surprised to find only one table with six seats, two on each side. There were benches around the room for everyone else. 

Clarke sat with Bellamy taking out the documents she had made. The others did not do the same and Clarke assumed that the Queen, like Lexa, had limited reading ability and less writing. 

“Why should I make peace with you Clarke Griffin?” the Queen asked folding her hands. “Alliance with Trigedakru is not a selling point. From what I have come to understand it would be in my best interest to take your people and use them as needed. I can always use doctors and warriors.”

“We do not want to join another tribe. We are our own people,” Clarke told her. 

“Clarke Griffin, people do not join the Ice Nation. I take them and they serve me,” she explained. “While Lexa and many other tribes have taken less extreme measures, I come from the Ice Nation and from the day the earth burned we in the Ice Nation have been building an empire.”

“An empire?” Bellamy asked. Queen Ice Storm nodded. 

“An empire in the near barren wasteland. Like the Egyptians except in the ice and snow,” she said proudly. “Clarke Griffin, how do you plan to continue as a tribe?”

“We have set up in Mount Weather and are at an agreement with Trigedakru,” Clarke told her. She nodded. The man sitting next to her pulled a cloth out of his bag and spread it on the table. It was a map. 

“These are the fourteen nations. As you can see, we cover a vast amount of area and through the alliance have allowed villages in each others territory. We are here in Polis,” Queen Ice Storm pointed at the map. From what Clarke remembered from Geography, the fourteen nations seemed to cover an area in parts of Maryland and Virginia with the Ice Nation covering most of the North. “While Mount Weather is in unclaimed territory, I have nothing against claiming it and absorbing the resources into my empire. You would call Trigedakru to aid you, but it would be at the cost of ripping apart a fragile alliance between the fourteen nations therefore it would not be a gain on their part.”

“As part of Ice Nation, what would it be like?” Clarke asked. Bellamy shot her a look, but she ignored it. 

“Once you are a part of the Ice Nation, you are always part of the Ice Nation. Your doctors would go to the hospital and the soldiers would join the warriors, the rest would join the labor crews. Everyone swears their allegiance to the Queen and is then branded with the mark of the Ice Nation.”

“It's slavery,” Bellamy said. Queen Ice Storm nodded. 

“Every civilization was built by slaves whether it was called slavery or not. There was always someone in a position of power while the workers worked. Egypt, Mesopotamia, the Roman Empire, the Greek Empire, even the United States of America was built on slave labor,” she said pointing to Clarke's jacket where there was a faded USA patch. “We are the strongest and the biggest nation and that is thanks to the Queens before me who took land and tribes to work in our empire. Again, there is nothing stopping me from taking the Sky People.”

“We have better weapons,” Bellamy told her. She shook her head. 

“My army is twice the size of Trigedakru's. And you had weapons before and they weren't enough. Clarke Griffin while you killed many, many people, my numbers would overwhelm your people.”

“We would fight and we would die. We have no interest in being slaves. We would still like to offer our medical knowledge and help in any way we can. The mountain is full of seeds and technology that your empire could find useful. If we fight though, I will make sure we all die first,” Clarke told her. The Queen's expression didn't falter. 

“If we could make peace after what we did to Trigedakru then I think we can make an alliance,” Bellamy added. “We just fought a war with the aid of your people and for that we are grateful and in return we cared for your sick and wounded. As Clarke stated, we are willing to offer medical knowledge and work with your doctors. We want to be done with the guns and the fighting.”

“Our people were small in numbers from the beginning and we suffered great losses getting here. Then we fought and more of us died and then we fought again to save our remaining people. There are very few of us but we still want to stand on our own. I'm sure the Ice Nation had same dreams in the past. To be able to support their people and survive. I know Lexa's people started as a small group. And now they have grown and that is what we wish to do,” Clarke explained.

“And perhaps with our knowledge people will live longer and become stronger so that everyone's nation can grow,” Bellamy told the Queen. “We want to help you.”  
The Queen nodded. She said something to her companion in another language that was lighter then what Clarke was used to. 

“Your people read?” the Queen asked.

Clarke nodded. “Yes they do.”

“I would like some of your people to accompany me to the Ice Nation for a period of a month. They will share their knowledge and I will judge it. While we are not in alliance yet, we will remain at a neutral agreement. At the end of one month we will revisit the idea of an alliance.”

“Fair,” Clarke told her. 

==================================================

Lexa's house was starting to feel more and more like a sanctuary. The doors closed and the day was done. Everything was paused until the morning. 

The Queen was staying in a different house on the other side of the city. Clarke was thankful for that. Her day had been very long after the meeting as she discussed the information with her people. Everyone was appalled by the use of slavery, but Clarke told them that as uneasy as it made her, they'd do whatever they could to avoid fighting with the Ice Nation. They were hard to make an alliance with and Clarke wasn't about to risk her people's safety. They, like the other nations, would accept how the Ice Nation was run. 

Clarke was surprised that Lexa went to her room without going to her own first. Clarke shut the door behind her, but stood by it watching Lexa. She hadn't said much the entire day but her presence was felt constantly. 

“Costia was Ice Nation,” Clarke said as the pieces fell into place. Lexa was removing her armor, but gave Clarke a short nod. “She was a slave. She belonged to the Ice Nation.” 

Lexa nodded again as she removed her coat. “People run away all the time, but there is nowhere for them to go besides the woods. They can't go to another nation because of the alliance and before the alliance the other nations weren't going to risk aggravating the Ice Nation in fear of being over taken,” Lexa explained. She sat on the bed to pull off her boots. “Most who run away got taken to the mountain, but now they just run.”

“How did you meet her?” Clarke asked moving over to the bed to sit next to Lexa. 

“She ran and we came across her while out on patrol. She was wounded so I allowed her to heal herself in Polis. She was a healer,” Lexa paused staring at the ceiling. “She always said the stars aligned.”

“And the Queen?” Clarke asked. 

“Since she was a healer the Queen had her best people tracking Costia and they came to our gates. She knew though, Costia knew that by staying she was going to die. When the Queen demanded we return her or the alliance was done, she told me it was okay... I was then made watch as each of the Queen's warriors cut into her.”

“And that's why you let me go to Finn,” Clarke whispered. Lexa turned to Clarke her eyes watering. 

“While it was weakness, I carry that pain. I would have given anything to grant her a swift death,” Lexa said. Clarke was amazed at how steady her voice stayed even as tears slipped down her cheeks. Clarke cupped the side of Lexa's face in her hand swiping the tears away with her thumb. 

“She will return as someone new, someone free,” Clarke whispered remembering Lexa's belief in reincarnation. Lexa nodded. Clarke wrapped her arms around Lexa pulling her to her chest. Lexa clung to Clarke. 

Eventually Lexa raised her head and placed a gentle kiss on Clarke's lips. “What were you dreaming about this morning?” she murmured against Clarke's lips. Clarke immediately blushed. 

“Um,” she coughed and stood up to start removing her clothes. “It wasn't anything, why?”

“You moaned my name,” Lexa said. Clarke coughed harder. She looked at Lexa who was sitting, legs crossed, in her underclothes watching Clarke. 

“I did not,” Clarke said ears burning as images of Lexa naked and glistening from the baths flooded her mind. Clarke quickly finished undressing and climbed into bed. She turned off the light. “Goodnight,” she said abruptly. And Lexa laughed. Lexa _laughed_. Clarke didn't know what to do. She felt the bed shift as Lexa laid back. 

“Clarke Griffin, I am glad the stars brought me to you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm still not on a regular update schedule, but this story will continue to be updated.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I know it's been awhile, but recent events have given me the drive to write this story again. I don't know how often updates will be, but I've got the next few chapters lined up. 
> 
> This chapter is a bit stand alone because I have to reread the story, but haven't yet. I'm one of those people who can't remember anything they've written. Oops. Hope you don't mind. 
> 
> Also there is SEXUAL CONTENT in this chapter. It's not explicit, but it's there. 
> 
> Reminder this story started before S2 ended. All Ice Nation stuff was written before S3 so sorry things don't line up.

Clarke was woken in the middle of the night. Or at least before sunrise. Lexa had been the one to rouse her and Clarke was waiting for the punch. Something along the lines of Clarke the Ice Nation has decided to go to war with us.

But Lexa said nothing as she dressed in normal attire minus the armor. Clarke followed suit, groggy and itching to curl back under the covers. She didn’t remember what she’d been dreaming about, but it had been pleasant as it wasn’t a nightmare. 

Lexa started humming while she waited for Clarke to button her thick fur coat. It was a new song. It was always a new song and Clarke wondered what it would take to get Lexa to sing the words. 

“Where are we going?” Clarke asked as they headed down the stairs. 

“Out,” was all Lexa said.

They didn’t head towards where Queen Ice Storm was staying to Clarke’s relief. When Lexa didn’t warn Clarke that there was a war, she was partly worried it was because Lexa had some plan to kill the Queen in her sleep.

And Queen Ice Storm wasn’t that bad… at least no one was dead yet… Clarke shook her head. She didn’t want to think about politics anymore. 

“Wow,” Clarke said, eyes trained on the stars. Space was way more beautiful from the ground. The cold wind stung her cheeks and made her eyes water, but it was a feeling she never wanted to give up.

“Come on,” Lexa said, there was a slight amusement to her voice making Clarke blush.

She walked next to Lexa easily falling in step. The only people out were patrols; all of whom were surprised to see Lexa out.

It only took about a minute for Clarke to realize they were headed for the baths. Her mind wandered to her dream and she let out a slow breath. A midnight soak? Lexa glistening in the moonlight? Clarke had read romance novels before. There was always glistening in the moonlight. Which made Clarke nervous. She was ready to go further, but she didn’t know how to voice it. She hoped it would just happen as things like that tended to, but what if that wasn’t how it was done with grounders? 

The air surrounding the baths was muggy and thick. Clarke immediately pulled at the buttons of her coat. She watched as Lexa went to a far wall pulling a long chain. There was a loud scraping sound that startled Clarke, but then she could see that grates had moved away from holes in the ceiling. Starlight mixed with candle light filling the room with a vibe that made Clarke’s fingertips tingle. 

Lexa stood in front of Clarke, hands coming up to undo the last button of her coat before pushing it off her shoulders. Clarke reached out to undo Lexa’s coat. Her fingers were shaking and she hoped it was noticeable. 

Lexa’s coat pooled on the floor. Clarke briefly thought about hanging up their coats since the floor was wet… Lexa’s fingers ran along Clarke’s jaw then down her neck and over her collarbone. 

“Can I take your clothes off?” Lexa asked, voice steady and low. Clarke nodded unable to speak. Lexa’s fingers worked fast, stripping Clarke of layer after layer until she was in her bra and underwear. 

Clarke was doing her best to keep her breathing even. Every touch felt like fire even on her hot skin. The humid air clung to her nearly naked body, but Lexa paused to start removing her own clothes. 

Her eyes were glued to Lexa as she slowly removed her clothes. Clarke licked her lips, hands clenching and unclenching at her sides desperate to reach out and grab Lexa. Lexa stopped at her underclothes and reached a slender hand up to tuck her hair back before looking at Clarke. She smiled, stepping forward so that they were toe to toe. She reached up, cupping Clarke’s cheek. She hummed the song she’d hummed in the house before leaning forward and pressing their lips together. 

Clarke’s eyes slipped shut as she moved her mouth against Lexa’s. The gentle kiss turning passionate as they moved their mouths together. Biting lips, panting, tongues sliding together. Clarke had one of her hands in Lexa’s hair and the other around her waist. Fingers digging into the soft flesh at her hips. 

Lexa had a hand on Clarke’s back to pull her closer as she licked into Clarke’s mouth. Clarke moved her hands to pull Lexa’s undershirt over her head. Lexa did the same to Clarke as Clarke moved to kiss Lexa’s jaw and neck.

They shed their underwear and Lexa started leading Clarke to the water. Clarke followed, hands on Lexa’s naked body. Desire surged through her as they descended into the hot pool. Clarke was in awe at how ethereal Lexa looked standing in the waist deep water, stream rising on either side of her. Her skin was pink from the heat and her lips were red and swollen. She skimmed her fingers through the water as Clarke approached her suddenly feeling bolder. 

Clarke backed Lexa up against the far wall, kissing her as she sank to the seat on the ledge. Immediately Lexa put her hands on Clarke’s breasts as she kissed them softly. Clarke moaned, running her fingers through Lexa’s hair. She kissed and nipped and sucked, leaving none of Clarke’s chest untouched. 

Clarke’s legs were shaking as she straddled Lexa’s lap sliding her hands over Lexa’s shoulders and under the water to her breasts. She kissed Lexa, pushing their bodies together and holding her lips to Lexa’s until her lungs burned and she to lean back and breathe. 

She let one hand wander between Lexa’s legs as she gently bit the girl's’ bottom lip and rolled their hips together. Clarke felt hot and desperate. She moved her hand making Lexa jolt and groan. Clarke basked in the noises. Hearing her come apart sent sparks down her spine. She wanted Lexa louder, so she moved her hand faster. 

Lexa gasped, holding Clarke tight against her body. Their wet skin slid against each other as they rocked. Lexa’s nails dug into Clarke’s back, but it only spurred her further.   
Clarke pressed a hot kiss to Lexa’s exposed throat when she finally tilted her head back, eyes closed tight as pleasure rushed through her in spasms making her body go rigid. Clarke smiled, proud of her work as Lexa relaxed into the water, chest heaving as she panted. 

Hazy eyes looked into Clarke’s and she smiled. Clarke pressed their mouths together, smiling against Lexa’s smile. If time could freeze…

Lexa twirled a strand of Clarke’s hair around her finger. She moved her legs apart to force Clarke’s legs apart. Clarke groaned when Lexa let her hand slip under the water. She was way more sensitive and responsive then she had expected herself to be. Having her legs held apart made Lexa’s languid strokes even more torturous. 

She dug her fingers into Lexa’s shoulders grinding down against her hand. Clarke panted, feeling like there wasn’t enough air to breathe. Like her entire body was on fire, but a good burning, a burning she was craving. As if Lexa was reducing her to smoke and ash and Clarke was kerosene ready to burn. 

Her breath hitched as a laugh escaped her. “Sorry I had a weird thought,” Clarke said quickly. Lexa only smiled and changed up her rhythm. Clarke groaned, eyes rolling back in her head as her toes curled and pleasure raced through her. She gasped loudly as she hit her peak, shaking as she was pushed over the edge. 

As she went lax she moved so that she was seated next to Lexa in the water. Clarke stared at the ceiling. It was so beautiful. 

She reached over until she found Lexa’s hand, grabbing it and entwining their fingers. She felt at peace next to Lexa. She always did. But under the stars and moon, tucked away in warm water, away from everything; it was different. 

It was how Clarke wished things were all the time. 

Fuck reality.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who has stuck around and to all those new readers. I hope you enjoyed and will continue to. Long live Clexa!


	18. Chapter 18

Between Clarke and Bellamy they’d decided which of their people who stay with the Ice Nation. Bellamy, Jasper, and Wick from their current group and then they’d send their people from the Ark. They hadn’t gotten in contact yet, but Clarke wanted to send her mother and three others. She hoped that her mother, Jasper, and Wick would be selling points for the Sky People with their knowledge in medicine and healing, chemistry, and engineering.

While Clarke would journey with the group to the Ice Nation, Bellamy would stay to keep their people in line and hopefully be able to talk up the importance of the Sky People and how they’d plan to help the Ice Nation by remaining their own clan, or branch of Trigedakru. 

The Queen had left at dawn, making the entire city seem more relaxed, and Clarke hoped to have a conference over the radio with her mother after lunch. She still wasn’t sure what to do about them poking around the Dead Zone, so she’d vowed to keep the meeting strictly about the Ice Nation. 

“What is on your mind?” Lexa asked. Clarke had been in Lexa’s study trying to relax, but had ended up just staring out the window looking annoyed.

Lexa was… Clarke wasn’t sure what she was doing. She had various slates made of different materials and was reviewing them as if they were documents. 

“I’m just thinking. Everything works out in my head, but whenever I try to put a plan in place chaos happens.”

“Your plan is solid, Clarke,” Lexa said. While she sounded sincere, Clarke only scowled. 

“I know but-“

“You have calculated for error. All that’s left to do is move forward,” Lexa insisted. Clarke looked at her as she studied a wooden slate. Clarke thought about their night in the bath. She was leaving for the Ice Nation with her group and she wanted another night before she left. Because even though Lexa was going to the Ice Nation as well, they had to act even more like they weren’t together. 

Together. 

For some reason the word didn’t feel like it quite fit. They were together, but in their own private world. Sure people might assume, but she didn’t know if it’d ever be public information. She didn’t need it to be. Those private moments with Lexa were her favorite and Clarke would be lying if she said she didn’t want to keep those moments all to herself. 

“What are those?” Clarke asked pointing to the slates.

“They are reports from villages that provide Polis with supplies.” She showed Clarke the slate she was holding. There were symbols Clarke didn’t recognize. “This means that there is an abundance of fish incoming. While two other villages said they are behind on their quarterly quota,” she explained. 

“And you know the village by slate?” 

“Each is marked with the clan symbol and then has the village name written on the top,” Lexa said turning it around again and pointing to the corner where LAKE D had been etched into the slate. 

“What do you do when there is a shortage?” Clarke asked. Lexa looked at her. 

“We pull from villages in our reserve. If a village is struggling, we aide them. Last winter hunting was scare for a while in the East, so we pulled from our storage and other villages with surplus food,” Lexa told Clarke. 

“The Mountain has a lot of food made in their greenhouses. We can share the food and the seeds, although they might not grow in radiation soaked soil,” Clarke said. Lexa nodded. 

“It was very hard to grow food in the early days. When the dust settled, people lived off animals. They tried to forage, but a lot of plants were toxic.”

Clarke could only assume how they tested out food in those days.

“Anya used to tell me about ice cream. A treat her mother heard about in stories,” Lexa said. “She said it was like snow but tasted sweet like berries.”

Clarke smiled. She wondered if there was a way to treat Polis to the sweets in the Mountain. There had been freeze dried ice cream on the Ark, but she’d seen the real thing in the Mountain. 

“I used to hear stories about how before the bombs there were places to eat all over and people would go out to eat meals and get snacks,” Clarke said. Lexa nodded with a small smile. 

“I wonder if we would have crossed paths in that world,” Lexa said. Clarke thought about it, but Lexa continued. “There were always stories about how there are people you will always meet even if the circumstances were different. The important ones are on paths that will cross.”

“Fate, destiny,” Clarke said. She’d never been a believer, but the world had already proven to be more powerful then Clarke had imagined. People had lived in the radiation soaked world and survived, while she’d been tucked safely in the Ark. 

“Destiny,” Lexa said with a nod. “That is how the Commander is chosen.”

Clarke wondered if that was her destiny too, to be a leader of her people. She’d never stood out much on the Ark and the position felt thrust upon her when she landed with the hundred. She advanced because of quick thinking and her medical skills. Bellamy was the leader and she was the voice of reason. 

But now they’d fallen into different grooves. While her and Bellamy were a joint leadership, Bellamy dealt with the military affairs and Clarke did public relations. 

“I need to have that meeting with my mother,” Clarke said with a sigh. She wasn’t exactly dreading it, but she’d much rather spend her time with Lexa. Even if they were talking about food supply and fate. 

A laugh bubbled out of Clarke. Lexa looked concerned. 

“It’s okay I’m just thinking about our topics of conversation,” Clarke said. Lexa gave her a blank look. Clarke shook her head dismissively. “I will see you later, Lexa,” Clarke said standing up and getting her coat.  
Lexa gave Clarke a small smile and nodded. 

=============================================

The meeting went well. Her mother agreed on all propositions Clarke had made, although she did express her concerns. Clarke and Bellamy addressed them as best they could. If anything, they’d be in radio contact with the group at all times. Prolonged radio silence would mean Lexa sending in soldiers and assess the situation. Clarke had a strange sense of trust in the Ice Queen though. 

She reminded Clarke of a bird always ready to puff itself up and show off its strength, but she didn’t act on it. She didn’t let them forget her power, but she wasn’t reckless with it. If she was the Ice Nation wouldn’t have agreed to Lexa’s alliance in the first place. 

Clarke entered Lexa’s house to find Lexa at the dining table. Clarke walked over to see the pictures they’d taken spread out before her. Well, the five pictures. They’d gotten them the other day and they’d been sitting on the table, both of them only having the time to look in passing. 

The pictures were grainy because of the paper they were transferred onto, but they still captured both of their features. Clarke was mesmerized by how casual Lexa looked in the pictures. Smiling, sitting in the sun…

“You’re beautiful,” Clarke whispered. Lexa turned her head to look at Clarke. 

“And you are a piece of art,” Lexa said in a low voice that sent tingles up Clarke’s spine. “How was the meeting?”

“Everything is set in place. My mother will arrive in a few days and then we can head to the Ice Nation,” Clarke said. Deep down, the thought spiked fear in her, but she was doing her best to ignore it. Things didn’t get done if she was afraid all the time. Things got done because she was confident in her decisions. 

“I am glad,” Lexa replied. Clarke nodded as Lexa stood. “I want to share music with you,” she said abruptly, taking Clarke’s hand. 

“Oh!” Clarke was surprised, but excited. Since their night in the baths, Clarke shared her drawings with Lexa each night before they spelt. Most were random sketches of interesting things she came across. Some were people she’d seen. A lot were of the trees and other plants she saw. And then there were her special portraits of Lexa that she worked on when time allowed. 

Clarke removed her coat and gloves, setting them down on a dusty piece of furniture while Lexa went to the piano. 

“This song…” Lexa said turning to look at Clarke. “My parents and their friends, they found a place in the woods with a piano and would play this song instead of patrolling or hunting,” Lexa said with a fond smile. “I would sing it with Anya was I was younger and her second. She would always tell me to shush, but I’d climb trees and sing it at the top of my lungs until she was so annoyed she’d threaten to kill me.”

Clarke grinned trying to imagine a disobedient Lexa. But if her parents had done it she wasn’t surprised. It made her wish Anya was still with them. Clarke was absolutely terrified of her, but towards the end… she had nothing but respect for Anya. It would have been interesting to see the dynamic between her and Lexa.

Lexa pressed down on the keys, playing a few low chords. She taped her foot and hummed as the song became more upbeat. Her fingers bounced lightly over keys and sang out the melody. 

But Clarke wanted to hear Lexa sing. 

“Do you mind if I change the words?” Lexa asked fingers dancing over keys even as she looked at Clarke. 

“Go ahead,” Clarke said feeling like she was going to explode with anticipation. The song was beautiful. She pictured a bunch of grounders holed up singing it and laughing. Lexa tormenting Anya with it. She needed to hear the words.

“Honey I love you. That’s all she wrote,” Lexa sang softly and paused. “Oh-oh Clarke Griffin, you’ve been on my mind girl like a drug. Oh-oh Clarke Griffin heaven help the fool who falls in love. Oh-oh Clarke Griffin you’ve been on my mind girl since the flood.”  
Lexa sang the phrase over and over as she played the melody. And Clarke’s eyes burned. She felt the tears falling and she couldn’t stop them. She’d never felt love like she felt for Lexa. She never felt more alive and important then she did with Lexa. 

And to have her sing something so simple in a wonderfully pitched voice. It made Clarke emotional. 

To be loved and to return that love…

The playing stopped abruptly and Lexa was beside Clarke in an instant. Her eyes were full of concern as she cupped Clarke’s cheek and wiped away a tear with her thumb.

“It’s good crying,” Clarke insisted, laughing and she wiped away tears on her sleeve. She sniffled. “I just… I never expected someone to do something so simple and so perfect for me,” she said knowing her words made no sense. She didn’t know how to describe it. She was overwhelmed by happiness. “Please play it some more?” she asked. 

Lexa smiled, leaning forward to rest her forehead against Clarke’s. 

“I was nervous to sing for you, but now I want to sing you every song I know,” Lexa murmured as Clarke held tight to her. 

“I loved it. I want to hear more. I love it, I love you,” Clarke whispered feeling the tears burning her eyes again. 

“I love you too Clarke Griffin,” Lexa said, her words were strong. Like what she was saying was carved in stone. Clarke wanted to hear those words more too. 

Lexa pressed their lips together for a brief moment, before pulling away and taking Clarke’s hand. She led her to the piano bench and the two sat down. 

“I will sing all night if you want me to,” Lexa said grinning. Clarke smiled, leaning over and kissing her cheek. 

“I’m going to learn the words,” Clarke told her as Lexa started to play. “So that I can sing to you oh-oh Heda Lexa heaven help a fool who falls in love.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got overly emotional about Clexa and thus the end of this chapter was born.  
> Song >>> [Ophelia](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTOC_q0NLTk)


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone enjoys this chapter even though it's a bit plot/world building heavy.

Clarke stared at the ceiling listening to Lexa breathe softly next to her. It was still dark out, but dawn was close. They’d reach the Ice Nation by nightfall assuming their party could continue at a normal pace. Her mother and two others from the Ark had arrived the previous afternoon. Everything had been packed and radios had been made. Lexa had gifted everyone with a thick fur coat for their travels into the mountains. After going over maps, Bellamy had informed Clarke that most Ice Nation territory was at a higher elevation then Mt Weather. They had farming and fishing towns at the base of the mountains, but their clan relied mostly on hunting and gathering for food purposes.

But that wasn’t much different than the other nations. Clarke planned to discuss the food situation with her mother while they travelled. The mountain had a wide variety of crops. They’d be happy to trade with Ice Nation or even help them with farming. The had equipment that would let them assess the soil for nutrients and prime farming locations.

Clarke shook her head. All she’d been thinking about was politics. Even when she went up on the bridges for a moment to herself, she found her mind wandering to the statements they were going to give the Queen.

“Clarke?”

Clarke turned her head. Lexa was sitting up rubbing her eyes and yawning. Each morning her demeanor seemed to relax. Clarke smiled.

“What?”

Lexa raised her hands over her head to stretch and then brought her hands into her lap yawning again. She stared at Clarke.

“You were in my dream. We were dancing together like I used to with Anya and Zozo.”

“That sounds like a nice dream,” Clarke said sitting up. She reached out to cup Lexa’s cheek, running her thumb over the smooth skin. Lexa leaned into her touch, eyes on Clarke. Clarke pressed her lips to Lexa’s. “I’m going to miss this,” Clarke admitted in a soft voice. Lexa kissed her.

“It won’t be long,” she replied.

“Mmm.” Clarke rested her forehead against Lexa’s, not ready to get up and start the journey. She wanted to stay in the safety of the bed.

Her mother had asked why she chose to stay in Lexa’s house. Clarke had been caught off guard and only then realized how sorely it stood out. She covered with a simple, she was an honored guest. Her mother didn’t push the subject to Clarke’s relief. She wanted to tell her mother, but she didn’t want it to cloud any judgement of her actions.

Just because there was something between them, it stayed in private where it was going to stay until it was appropriate to bring their interests in each other to light. Whenever that’d be. Clarke was in no rush. What they had was a tiny flame that they were both nurturing and she was content.

“We have to get ready,” Lexa said breaking their embrace. Clarke gave a soft sigh and pulled the blankets over her head. “Clarke. Clarke this is not AH!” Lexa shrieked when Clarke wrapped cold fingers around her ankle.

Clarke uncovered her head and laughed. Lexa was pink and wide eyed.

“Clarke Griffin,” she huffed. Clarke smiled.

“Commander?”

Lexa broke eye contact, a small smile on her face. “We need to get ready.”

“Yes Heda,” Clarke murmured in her ear. Lexa turned pinker and stood up quickly.

“I’m going to the bathroom,” she said before quickly running into the washroom on the far side of the room.

Clarke grinned, proud. The more Lexa blushed the cuter Clarke thought she was.

They dressed in silence. Lexa, getting done first, helped Clarke with her coat and various straps and buckles. Clarke liked her blue compared to the red Lexa’s sash gave her.

They left the house together. The first rays of light were just streaking across the sky as they entered the warrior’s barracks where they met with Clarke’s group, Arlo, and the other grounders who would accompany them to Ice Nation.

A lot of Polis had woken up to see the party off, Clarke noticed as they rode through town. Despite the day being very cold, everyone was predicting snow, Clarke felt refreshed. People waved to her as she rode by Lexa’s side. People she saw daily on her trips through town. Most of them she didn’t even know by name, but they offered her confident smiles and salutes.

Clarke felt like their party was rather large, taking up a lot of the path as they moved through the woods, but she remembered there shouldn’t be any threats besides animals lurking in the woods. A larger party wasn’t a target at the moment. The only people out there were part of the coalition.

 

With the sun rising, Clarke was surprised that the day stayed just as frigid. She was grateful for her coats knowing the Ark jackets would have never kept them warm. The order of their party shifted again and Clarke moved from Lexa’s side to ride with Bellamy and her mother. Both of them had been talking softly and she was curious.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been this cold,” Abby said when Clarke settled her horse beside her.

“Me neither,” Clarke said. Silence fell. She didn’t want to bring up the Dead Zone, but she kind of wanted to at the same time. This wasn’t the place to discuss it, but going to the Ice Nation would prolong discussion of it.

“You mother brought up a good point about the computers at the mountain,” Bellamy said to break the silence.

“Which is?”

“Those computers are still running with satellite help. We can try to see if we can find out who else is accessing the satellites and find out who is running the computers in the Dead Zone,” Abby explained.

“Do we want to know?” Clarke asked. Those computers sounded like trouble. “It’s probably another place like Mt Weather. I’m sure they weren’t the only bunker out there.”

“Or maybe it’s the City of Light,” Abby said. Clarke shrugged. From what she’d heard of the City of Light, it was a place that was supposed to be a safe haven for those suffering in the real world. A heaven on Earth.

Or a fairytale.

No one had ever found the City of Light or if they did they didn’t return to talk about it. And why would the city be in the middle of the desert. How could it be.

“What kind of structure did you find out there?” Clarke asked.

“It was constructed after the Earth was destroyed,” Abby said. “We also brought sand back from the Dead Zone to analyze it. So far it has the highest concentration of radiation that we’ve seen. It’s possible that the Dead Zone was the contact point between Earth and the nuclear weapons. We are trying to form a blast radius and go from there.”

“Is this the only Dead Zone?” Bellamy asked Clarke. She had no idea.

“If it’s the hit point then probably not, but the 13 clans area expands pretty far. It covers, from the maps I’ve compared, most of Maryland and then parts of West Viginia, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. From the mountain it looks to expand in about a 200 mile radius with Polis to the north, Ice Nation in the mountains to the west, Tondc to the southeast, and then the Dead Zone just east of Tondc,” Clarke explained. “Within the radius there is no other Dead Zone although I don’t know how far they’ve explored outside of their region. With the mountains I don’t think they would go further north, if anything they might have gone south? The Dead Zone reaches up to the mountains in the north.”

“When we are done with this Ice Nation stuff we should probably compare the maps. The computers in the Dead Zone were heat maps of the eastern part of the United States. I can’t remember if there seemed to be any groups outside of the clan area,” Abby said.

“Do you think the City of Light could be in the Dead Zone?” Bellamy asked. Abby shook her head.

“There’s no way to farm and there aren’t animals, so there source of food would have to come from elsewhere making it unlikely that the Dead Zone is actually home to people. But it is a good way to hide technology.”

“I still think it’s probably another bunker,” Clarke said. She didn’t want to have another war. Tension with the Ice Nation was enough. She hoped to smooth things over and then be worry free for a while. She was tired of fighting. How she was still alive, she didn’t know. They’d been fighting since they landed.

“Or there could be hostile groups out there. Roamers or something,” Bellamy added. That also sounded like something Clarke didn’t want to deal with. Yes they were Sky People, but how many more people needed to die? Especially considering their people could already be dead.

“They did sound hostile although they didn’t attack us when we went out there,” Abbby pointed out. “They’d salvaged most of the chunk of Ark that was there though. We took some of what was left, but it was a skeleton. The metal had been stripped away along with even the wiring.”

“Smart,” Clarke said. If they lived out in the Dead Zone material would be hard to come by other than outsiders bringing it in. “We have to focus on the Ice Nation now though. The Queen wants to take our people, but that would break the coalition. Depending on their numbers and stance though they might be willing to do so.”

“Maybe, but their army isn’t very big. Even before we fought Mount Weather, their army was small compared to Trikru. They have a large nation, but it’s made up of predominantly workers and builders,” Bellamy explained. “And a lot of their army, while loyal to their Queen, is also loyal to the Commander.”

“They lost most of their army in a battle against our Commander,” Arlo interjected. She was riding just in front of them. “We fought for many days to get the Ice Nation to bow, but it was clear from the start who was going to win.”

“So the Queen talks big,” Bellamy said. Arlo shrugged.

“You did not hear me say it,” she told them before digging her heels into her horse and riding up to the front of the line.

Clarke sighed. That put her slightly at ease, but she’d also heard how the Ice Queen was ruthless. Just because their army was smaller didn’t guarantee her submission. Clarke looked up at the sky. The sun was at its highest and it was still freezing. Her fingers and toes were numb and her nose was running. Every time she exhaled she could see her breath. She wanted to experience the seasons of summer and spring, not winter.

 

When they were breaking camp it started snowing. They’d stopped to eat and rest for a little over an hour and as they had the clouds had rolled in. They were fat and gray and soon soft flakes were falling from the sky.

Clarke watched as the snow settled in Lexa’s hair and on her clothes. It was like magic that made the world seem softer. There was no noise outside of their horses and the occasional wild animal. Just them and the lightly falling snow.

It was cold and wet as it melted on Clarke’s cheeks and nose. She wished everything would disappear for a moment and she’d be alone in the snow and the quiet. A moment to really take it in.

Clarke could feel Lexa’s eyes on her as they road. Clarke was looking at the way the snow had settled on the pine trees and on the bare branches. Coating everything in a dusting of white.

Arlo jerked Clarke from her thoughts about the snow; her voice ringing loud in the quiet forest.

“Oh we’d be all right if the wind was in our sails,” she called out from the front of the group. “Oh we’d be all right if the wind was in our sails. Oh we’d be all right if the wind was in our sails and we’ll all hang on behind.”

There was a beat of silence and Clarke looked at Lexa confused.

“Oh we’ll roll the old chariot along,” Arlo sang with the other grounders. Their voices were loud, vibrating through the trees as they moved forward in time with their song. “We’ll roll the old chariot along. We’ll roll the old chariot along and we’ll all hang on behind,” they sang together.

“Well a night on the path wouldn’t do us any harm,” Arlo called.

“Well a night on the path wouldn’t do us any harm. Well a night on the path wouldn’t do us any harm,” the grounders sang.

“Fishing Town,” Lexa said as the song moved into the chorus.

“What?” Clarke asked.

“It’s a sea shanty from Fishing Town, the clan Arlo is from lives there on the river. These are their songs.”

“And we’ll roll the old chariot along and we’ll all hang on behind,” they sang. There was a pause before Arlo started the next verse.

“Shouldn’t we be keeping quiet?” Clarke asked. Lexa stared at her.

“We have scouts ahead and behind. We’ve entered Ice Nation territory invited, so making our presence known shouldn’t put us in danger,” she explained. Clarke nodded, but the loud song made her uneasy. She suddenly felt they were too vulnerable in the forest. The snow was making it difficult to see far ahead too.

“How much further?” Clarke asked. If they’d entered the territory, then surely they’d see people soon.

“Not long. When we make the next turn we will be at the South Arch,” Lexa explained. Clarke nodded, holding her horse back so that she was with Bellamy and her mother.

“Why are they singing?” Abby asked. Arlo was leading the group in another song. Clarke shrugged.

“We are in the Ice Nation and Lexa said we should be entering through an arch soon,” Clarke informed them. “It sounds like it isn’t far after that.”

“I wonder why there aren’t people,” Bellamy commented looking out into the trees. The snowfall was getting heavier.

“I don’t know, but no one seems to be too concerned,” Clarke said looking ahead to Lexa. “But don’t drop your guard.”

As she said her warning, Arlo held up a hand calling for a halt. Clarke bristled, holding her reigns tight even though no one else went into a defensive stance.

People loomed up out of the trees. They wore white and gray furs, but held no weapons. There were ten people and they bowed when they stopped just out of the trees. One spoke in Trigedasleng, or something similar, and Arlo answered. The people on foot lowered their hoods and Clarke saw they all hard facial scars, something Lexa had told her was unique to Ice Nation.

Arlo and one of the Ice Nation people were still speaking at the head of the line. Clarke wished she was near Lexa to ask for a translation, but the group started moving again. The Ice Nation people walked near the horses with their heads down. Clarke wondered if they were the slaves Queen Ice Storm had talked about.

 

The arch was impressive. It stood over the path at least ten feet into the air. The gray stone was cut neatly and formed a simple archway. Animal skulls and bones hung from the entryway along with a sign. Clarke only recognized the symbol as the symbol for Ice Nation.

Through the arch lead into an area where the trees were sparse and there were many stone houses. Smoke ran up through chimneys and the camp smelled like cooking meat.

But was breathtaking was the castle that erupted from the side of the mountain. It was higher up and lorded over the village. It was made from the same gray stone that was from the mountain. The castle walls were high and intimidating.

There was more talking in Trigedasleng, or what Clarke figured was the Ice Nation form of it. She moved her horse up near Lexa while they waited.

“It’s beautiful,” Clarke said gazing at the castle. Above the walls, in the pale light, she could see towers and spires rising up into the clouds.

“It is the pride of the Ice Nation,” Lexa said. “Many villages like this one surround the castle on three sides. The castle extends mostly into the hollowed out part of the mountain while a lot of time is still spent sculpting the exterior.”

“Heda,” Arlo interrupted. “We are advised to continue up the mountain before it gets too icy.”

Lexa nodded, dismounting from her horse. She spoke to her warriors as they dismounted. One of the warriors began gathering horses with the Ice Nation people. Arlo spoke to the Ice Nation people still near them. They nodded and the group was moving again. This time up a steeper path that had been fitted with stone steps.

They were slippery and being exhausted from a day of riding didn’t help. She looked over her shoulder to see Bellamy assisting her mother while Jasper and Wick helped other sky people. Clarke turned back and hurried up the steps, trying to keep in step with Lexa who moved up the snowy path with ease.

 

Once at the top, Clarke’s lungs burned. She looked over the edge, the village lost under the snow below. They were all heading through heavy wooden doors into the light and warmth inside, but Clarke wanted to test the radio.

She pulled off her glove and dug the radio out of her pocket. Her fingers were red and numb making it hard to grip the bulky radio. She pressed the button and it crackled to life.

“Raven, it’s Clarke,” she said and waited.

_“Wow I was wondering when you’d check in,”_ Raven answered much to Clarke’s relief. She smiled. Raven sounded distant, but clear enough. She hoped that would continue when they got inside. If not their plan would need to be reworked. But as Raven had said before they left, their radios had reached the Ark in space, so mountains shouldn’t be too much of a problem.

“We’ve reached the Ice Nation. I’ll update you more after we see the Queen,” she explained.

“ _I’ll be waiting on stand-by,”_ Raven said and Clarke pocketed the radio. She saw that Arlo was waiting for her a few feet away. Clarke was disappointed it wasn’t Lexa waiting, but she knew they couldn’t act too close. Here they were simply two leaders trying to figure out the best for everyone.

With a deep breath and a nod to Arlo, Clarke entered the Ice Nation castle trying to remain confident that she would also be allowed to leave when their visit came to an end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My City of Light is going to be different.   
> [Song Arlo sings.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49FWp7WLYKw)  
> This is kind of how I picture the [Ice Nation castle](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/c7/54/71/c7547117a25ed792c49eb98a753eb5a9.jpg).


	20. Chapter 20

A feast had been prepared in honor of their arrival, much to Clarke’s surprise. The way the Queen had acted, she’d expected a cold shoulder and hostility. But then again, Lexa was the Commander of the people, including Ice Nation.

Clarke and the sky people were seated on the left side of the table. Clarke sat by the Queen while Bellamy sat on her other side. Lexa and her people were seated across from Clarke. Queen Ice Storm sat at the head of the table with servants waiting behind her with their heads bowed.

The Great Hall was quite warm and the servants were dressed in simple gray cloth tunics and pants. The Queen wore similar attire but all of it had been dyed blue and she wore a white pelt like a sash across her body.

Clarke looked at the dishes in front of her. In Polis everything had been made of metal, but in the castle it was wood, stone, and bone. Her thoughts were interrupted when a woman about her age entered the room and headed directly for the queen. The woman was tall, with dark hair braided back, and cheeks red with cold from outside. She was dressed in a black tunic and pants. She bent and whispered in the Queen’s ear. The Queen looked amused.

“Ontari, you must join us for dinner. The Commander and Clarke of the Sky People have travelled a long way.

Ontari just glared.

“This is Ontari. She commands the troops of the west side of the mountain,” the Queen said to Clarke, who nodded. Ontari spoke in grounder and looked over at Lexa. The Queen answered in their native tongue making Clarke uncomfortable. She’d begun to pick up a lot of Trigedasleng, but what they spoke was just different enough that she couldn’t follow.

But then Lexa interjected, voice stern and her words clipped. Whatever Ontari had said wasn’t nice. Clarke figured out that much from the look of disgust on Ontari’s face.

But then the Queen gave an order and a servant appeared with a chair for Ontari. She was sat between the Queen and Lexa, but her glare remained on Clarke.

They ate an assortment of meats with wine and bread. There was goat cheese, nuts, and berries too. All the food was rich and had an underlying smoky flavor that Clarke wasn’t used to, but didn’t mind.

As the dishes were cleared, a different set of servants arrived. “They will show you to the guest quarters. We will meet tomorrow at dawn in the council room,” the Queen said. When she finished she stood and headed out of the Great Hall with Ontari on her heels.

 

They were lead to their quarters on the third floor of the castle. Clarke couldn’t get a good sense on how big the interior of the castle was, but it had to be bigger than the Ark.

“Clarke I would like a moment of your time before we retire for the night,” Lexa said formally as the servants opened two separate doorways. Clarke nodded to Lexa as Bellamy headed through the door with her mother and the others. Clarke followed Lexa who followed the servants into a sitting room with other doors branching off from it.

A servant bowed to Lexa and spoke in grounder. Lexa shook her head as she spoke, raising her hand to dismiss the servant. The servants filed out, Lexa’s people disappeared through the other doors, and Lexa took a seat at the table in the center of the room. Clarke joined her.

“Ontari is the Queen’s lover,” Lexa said the moment Clarke sat. Clarke’s eyebrows shot up. “She will most likely be promoted to Captain of the South army and be the next successor. While the Queen is considered royalty, her blood is not heir to the throne. The throne is given to the Captain of the South armies.”

“She’s so young,” Clarke said.

“Most are. Training starts early, especially before the coalition. The Ice Nation was always looking for camps to absorb,” Lexa explained.

“Why is this relevant?”

“If Ontari becomes Queen then she is blocked from being Commander. Ice Nation accepted terms of the truce with an agreement that Ice Nation would be in the running for Commander. I agreed as long as they understood the Queen would never be the Commander. Ontari is on the lookout for my weaknesses. If she sees the sky people as weak, a plan will be put in motion. As it is the Ice Nation armies walk a thin line, especially the Western Armies as their territory expands into land that is not protected by the coalition. To the West, Ice Nation does not have alliances with those people. I’m sure you can assume the loopholes they try to go through.”

“I do,” Clarke said. She didn’t expect Ontari to be the Queen’s lover, but Clarke was glad she had the information as she now knew who’d be whispering in the Queen’s ear. Which was definitely not needed. “Be wary of Ontari.”

Lexa nodded, undoing the buckles to take her shoulder piece off.

“What will happen at tomorrow’s meeting?” Clarke asked. Lexa cracked her neck. Clarke didn’t like the whole formalness of their meeting, but it wasn’t like she could be open about her relationship with the Commander. But she wanted to reach out and caress her face or rub her shoulders or just be close.

“The others will be spread throughout the castle going to where the Queen sees fit while we and her three Captain’s discuss territory mostly. You can give her more accounts on your people. She will ask about the Mountain and your peoples’ intended use of it. While Bellamy will be at this meeting, I don’t know how much the Queen will address him as she is known to be rather adamant that men have no use in such meetings.”

“Then why are we leaving him here in charge of my people?” Clarke asked.

“Because while you operate together, as long as the Queen sees you as the one with more power then you will be all right,” Lexa explained. Clarke nodded. Lexa’s face softened for a moment. “Things will go well Clarke,” she said confidently. Then she stood. “This will be the end of our meeting. Goodnight Clarke, I will see you in the morning,” Lexa said before turning and heading to another door.

Clarke watched her go, still longing to reach out and touch her. As her door shut Clarke headed to the quarters her people were staying in. Bellamy and Abby were waiting for her at the identical table.

“What did you discuss?” her mom asked. Clarke sat down with a heavy sigh.

“Ontari. Not only is she the Queen’s lover—“

“Queen’s lover?” Bellamy cut in. Clarke nodded.

“Lover, but she also wants to be Commander as Ice Nation wants that power. And she’s in line for the position of Queen.”

“But they are-“ her mother started.

“It isn’t hereditary succession. Rank determines the Queen,” Clarke said. “She is going to look for weakness. While I’m discussing territory and accounts of other’s, you’ll be taken to the hospital or whatever and start there. I’ll ask what the others can do but I expect they will be sent out of the castle.”

“So we’ve got to be cautious of Ontari?” Bellamy asked. Clarke nodded. She wasn’t about to bring up how the Ice Nation regarded men though so she brought their quick meeting to a close.

“I need to sleep. Everyone needs to sleep,” Clarke told them. “We can discuss more in the morning.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a bit short because I wanted some opinions. Do you want to read the meeting with the Queen? Do you want it summarized in the chapter by Clarke? I was getting worried this chapter was too boring, so I wanted to know what people wanted to read regarding all this political plot.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm baaaaack. Legit don't know if anyone even cares about this story anymore, but I just finished season 4 of the 100 and I'm itching to write more fic and this one holds a special place in my heart. So I've got a few new chapters planned out and we'll go from there. Thanks to anyone who reads, especially if you don't mind all the different stuff and world building. Let's have some more Clexa fun!!

Strict territory lines had been drawn after hours of discussion. The Sky People would only be allowed the Mountain and the surrounding area that had been previously hostile territory. They would not expand in the area of the now thirteen clans. The Sky People would not engage in conflict to expand their lands north or west of the mountain as that unclaimed territory was too close to the Ice Nation. But they were free to expand south of the clan territory.

Their harvest would go to Polis and be distributed to other clans equally as was how all farming villages worked. They would be allowed to keep food for their people.

All medicine was to be shared and Skaikru did not get to put their people first. Healers from Polis would go to the Mountain to exchange knowledge.

Radios would be placed at all capitols and at Polis. The radio was not allowed to be destroyed or turned off.

Skaikru would leave a team of ten people with the Ice Nation to share knowledge for a month. Ice Nation would also station warriors around the Mountain in neutral territory.

Echo would be moved to First Captain of the Commander’s Army and remain in Polis with other Ice Nation troops. Ice Nation would cut its Polis serving troops in half and the rest would return to the Ice Nation. The Ice Nation would also be granted permission to cross over mountains and reopen trade in Piburg. Lexa explained to Clarke that crossing the mountains was dangerous and had previously been forbidden, but Ice Nation was known for sending scouts. Lexa told the Queen that if she wanted to risk her troops, she could do so.

Clarke sighed. It was such a long list of demands and most had been argued by the Queen or Ontari extensively. They wanted Skaikru to be placed in Polis for supervision, but Lexa had argeed with Clarke that all clans deserved their own village.

Thus the Ice Nation troops being placed in neutral territory around the mountain.

Clarke stared up at the sky. She wished she trusted the Ice Queen as much as Lexa seemed to. Their visit had been exhausting and Clarke felt like she was leaving her people vulnerable. Lexa told her that even though the Ice Queen boasted her armies, they would not give up conquered territory to pull their troops into a war with the coalition.

“How did the coalition even form?” Clarke asked. She’d heard that this was the first time all the clans worked together.

“During the previous Commander’s time,” Lexa started. “There was a terrible winter followed by a devastating avalanche. Peace was offered at that time, but the previous Queen refused to back down. The terms were to be that she set her people free. I let her keep them. We need their numbers and they need our food.”

“With the Mountain Men gone, what threats are there?” Clarke asked. She watched Lexa purse her lips.

“Swamp clans to the south. Wastelanders to our Northeast. The mountains offer protection, but we don’t know what lies beyond and if it will come for us.”

Their party had finally exited the mountains and, while it was still cold, there was no snow on the ground. Clarke kind of missed it. Snow was cold and unforgiving, but it was beautiful, especially the way it sparkled in the sun.

“So, what now?” Clarke asked. Her people were spread thin between the Mountain, Polis, and the Ice Nation. Her mother and Kane still wanted to venture into the Dead Zone. Wick was going to the Mountain to see if he could connect to the satellites that seemed to be tracking people.

Raven wanted to keep building. Bellamy, when he returned, would go with Echo and their mobile troops. Octavia and Lincoln had returned to Tondc with Indra to rebuild. Jasper was cross referencing Monty’s notes with the plants that were being grown in Polis.

And then there was Clarke. There was no war, for once there was total peace. She knew better than to expect it to last forever, but she didn’t know what their next move was.

“I will take you to the border towns,” Lexa said. “There are people I think could be useful to Raven.”

“Is that what you’d normally do?” Clarke asked, not wanting to pull Lexa away from duty.

Lexa gave a short nod. “I make rounds when I can,” she explained.

“The Southern border?”

“Yes,” she said. Clarke hadn’t paid too much attention to the details of the United States in class back on the Ark, but she was pretty sure she grounder territory reached into North Carolina.

“You said swamp clans?” Clarke asked. Lexa nodded.

“Past the post in Arlott, the land turns swampy. Parts of it are toxic, but there are areas where swamp clans live.”

“Do they attack much?” Clarke asked.

“No. Only when they are hungry. Arlott is neutral territory, but Swamp Clans have been past Leig which is the furthest village in our territory.”

Clarke wished she had a map. Lexa remembered so much, while Clarke spent most of her time trying to picture things in her head. She’d seen the maps in Lexa’s office, but there hadn’t been much time to study it. Her mother brought a map from Mount Weather to cross reference, but much of the terrain had changed in over 100 years. Lexa’s map had all the grounder routes and villages, where it was safe, and what areas to avoid.

 

By the time the lights of Polis came into view, Clarke was ready to get off her horse and never ride one again. They’d pushed hard to make it back early, and it had taken its toll on Clarke.

Even though it was dark, Lexa said she had business to attend to and would meet Clarke at the house later. Clarke wanted to follow her, but her knees buckled when she finally got off her horse. She squatted in the dirt for a moment, waving off all help, until she finally felt she could push back to her feet. She walked stiffly into the house and up the stairs. The medicine from Lincoln was past helping and Clarke barely made it upstairs.

She was glad Lexa wasn’t there to watch her grunt and groan as she pulled her boots off. The effort nearly winded her and she debated whether or not she wanted to continue changing.

When Clarke was dressed for bed and snuggled under the furs and quilts, she pulled out her sketchbook. Tucked in the cover, were the pictures she’d taken of Lexa. She didn’t know where Lexa kept her pictures.

Clarke stared at the pictures. The quality wasn’t that of the pictures hanging from the past, but it was one of Clarke’s most precious possessions. Traveling without them to the Ice Nation had been hard. Being separate from Lexa had been harder. She couldn’t explain the comfort she felt when she was near Lexa whether they were working or simply riding silently through the woods together.

 

Clarke woke up to realize Lexa was gently pulling her sketchbook from her hands. She must have fallen asleep.

“Go back to sleep, Clarke,” Lexa whispered in that soft, gentle voice that was just for Clarke. The one she only used when they were alone in the house.

“I’m tired,” Clarke said groggily. Lexa nodded in the soft light. She reached out, pushing Clarke’s hair from her face. Clarke stared up at her. “Sometimes you feel like a dream.”

“You’re better than a dream,” Lexa whispered, leaning close to Clarke. “Like the water to the moon, I am drawn to you.” Lexa placed a soft kiss on Clarke’s lips.

“I am the moon?”

“And the stars and the sun. But to me, you are the moon and I am the oceans and the rivers and the puddles and the streams.”

“Tied together,” Clarke said with a yawn.

“Tied together,” Lexa repeated, kissing her again. Clarke smiled.

“I love you, Lexa,” she whispered.

“I love you too, Clarke.”  


	22. Chapter 22

There was a ceremony and a celebration for Echo moving to First Captain. Clarke was surprised it was so easy until Lexa explained she hadn’t replaced Anya even though it had been months. Her War Advisor, Nett, had been filling in. Echo had been in place for the position before the Ice Queen demanded it.

“I can usually guess the Queen’s next move,” Lexa said. “Which is why I didn’t move Echo up before. It was a bargaining chip or so the Queen thought.”

“So, Echo is more loyal to you?” Clarke asked.

“Yes and no. Her alliance if with her people, but with Ontari being the next chosen Queen, there was no room for Echo to advance in the Ice Nation. This has been the plan since before she was taken by Mount Weather. I am lucky to have her back.”

Clarke and Lexa stood on the platform in the center of the plaza watching a long line of warriors advance down the road towards them. Others stood with them, awaiting the new captain.

Echo sat atop her horse, a red and white speckled mare, who was painted with dark red paint. Instead of her normal black, Echo’s warrior paint was also done in red. Lexa asked Clarke if she wanted black paint as she watched Lexa do hers in the morning. Clarke wasn’t ready.

Everyone was dressed for war except they all carried flowers and feathers in their hands. Those who lined the streets had symbolic war paint on. Most was done in black, but some was red.

Echo approached the stage, bending to the Commander before moving to stand in front of her. Lexa began speaking in grounder. Clarke was only able to understand bits and pieces.

Clarke watched as Echo was presented with a buckle that was a faded red metal. Lexa then dipped her fingers into a bowl of red paint, and dragged her fingers down Echo’s face, from forehead to chin, while reciting words Clarke didn’t understand. Lexa put her other hand in a bowl of ash, swiping those fingers across Echo’s cheeks. 

 _From the ashes, we will rise._ Clarke had heard that before.

The crowd cheered. Flowers and feathers were thrown into the air as Echo bowed to Lexa once more.

“I will carry this honor as Anya once did,” she said quietly to Lexa. Lexa gave Echo a tight smile.

“Go and enjoy the celebration,” Lexa said. “We will meet at dawn to discuss further movements.”

Echo nodded, and headed into the crowd. Lexa headed in the opposite direction, towards the currently empty barracks. Clarke followed silently.

 

At the barracks, Lexa entered one of the blocks. They were simple buildings full of bunk beds. Clarke followed Lexa to the back of the building. There were names carved into the wall. Clarke watched Lexa run her fingers over ANYA.

“We trained when we were little before we were brought here. We were always going to be warriors,” Lexa said softly. “At eight, is when we are taken from our villages if we are going to serve. I was taken at seven as a contender for Commander.”

“She was older than you right?” Clarke asked. Lexa nodded.

“Anya’s family moved with her to Polis. Her parents made weapons. Anya wanted to be First Captain. She rose in the ranks fast and was given the honor of taking a candidate for Commander as a second. It’s a high honor. When the Commander before me died, there is a conclave; a fight to the death between those with the Commander’s spirit. The strongest is the next Commander. In losing her second, Anya was promoted to First Captain.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t return her to you,” Clarke said softly. She watched Lexa trace the letters of Anya’s name.

“Anya was a harsh teacher and a harsh captain, but we had fun too. In the years before we left and in the years, we trained together. I didn’t see her much when I became Commander though. All our meetings were for discussions on keeping the peace.”

“How long have you been Commander?” Clarke asked. Lexa looked back at her.

“Four years. I earned my place as Commander when I was fifteen and reunited the twelve clans within the first year. That’s what the stories will say about me.”

“What do you want them to say?” Clarke asked. Lexa sighed, heading towards the door.

“I’d like it if they remembered Anya too.”

 

============================================================

 

Clarke decided she didn’t like dawn. At all. She was bundled in furs and it was still too cold. There were no clouds and the air had a bite to it. Lexa said snow would fall soon.

They met with Echo in the council building near the main plaza. It was only them and Arlo as well.

“I am going south to Arlott and would like you and ten warriors to accompany us. Since there should be no threats, Arlo will be acting in my stead while I am gone,” Lexa explained. She then turned to Clarke. “Normally, Echo would be in charge, but we are going into swamp territory and I want every precaution taken,” she said and turned back to the others. “With Skaikru in Ice Nation territory, Queen Ice Storm should be kept at bay while I’m gone. We will have a radio though, should trouble arise.”

The other’s agreed and Echo left to start the preparations. They were leaving at midday. Clarke followed Lexa through Polis expecting to go back to the house, but instead they stopped where Raven was staying. Raven hobbled out to greet them. She was dressed as if she was leaving.

“Where are you going?” Clarke asked, confused.

“I talked to Lexa the other night and she wants me to come to Arlott or something. It’s a trade post and she wants me to see what’s been collected there. See if there’s anything useful,” Raven said excitedly. “There’s a rumor stuff from the Ark was salvaged and is there too. Nothing complete like our station, but pieces that came off when the Ark entered the atmosphere.”

“There’s also an old laboratory out that way,” Lexa added.

“Will you be okay to ride?” Clarke asked. Raven shrugged.

“Probably not, but I’m still going,” she told Clarke. “Now Lexa said something about breakfast.”

“I invited Raven to my home,” Lexa told Clarke. Clarke nodded. She found that she was disappointed that she wouldn’t get to spend time alone with Lexa before they left. Her time alone with Lexa was always so brief. Too brief, but cherished.

 

They ate in relative silence. Occasionally, Raven would talk about items she’d found whether they were processors, toasters, discs, keys, or items whose purpose she could only guess at. A lot of the broken tech was similar to that on the Ark, but Raven explained how there was ancient stuff. Items branded with years before the new millennium.

“When you were gone, I was shown to a room full of decaying magazines and files and books,” Raven said. “Most of the stuff is beyond legible, but every once in a while, I’ll find a page that’s in good condition and it’s wild. To know there was once a world full of so many products.”

“Do you think we’ll ever get back to that?” Clarke asked. Raven shrugged.

“Depends on who is out there,” Raven said. “It won’t happen in our life time, but if we keep teaching science and math, even the arts, the world will get there.”

“Especially if there are people out there using tech,” Clarke added.

“But can they reproduce it?” Raven asked. “That’s where the problem lies. Sure, there are rooms full of computers, but can we build more or is this it? Are there people out there with coding knowledge?”

“Most of our people can’t read,” Lexa interjected. “Language suffered as people suffered from radiation. Even now, the outside defects are removed, but there are still internal defects. Children are tested. Most just see jumbled letters.”

“But a lot of people know two languages,” Clarke said.

“In Polis yes, because the warriors are here, but outside Polis, it’s clan specific dialects.”

“Is there any kind of schooling system?” Raven asked.

“Two Commander’s before me set in motion a plan to educate young ones. But it’s mostly in farming, gathering, hunting, things that are important to survival,” Lexa explained. “There are those that break the mold. I know people who excel at music and arts. Those activities were sacred in the beginning, used to ease the suffering of the sick and dying.”

Clarke tried to picture kids huddled together singing as they suffered the effects of radiation in a dark and desolate world.

“Arts weren’t really a thing on the Ark,” Raven said. “But I know Clarke draws. Or used to,” she said looking at Clarke. Clarke nodded.

“I’m trying to get back into it,” Clarke told Raven.

“That’s good, Clarke,” Raven said with a small smile. Then she turned to Lexa. “Time to head out?”

Lexa gave a short nod and the three women stood. Raven limped ahead of the to the door while Clarke hung back to walk in step with Lexa.

“She would have been chosen for top contender as Commander,” Lexa said quietly. “Her knowledge is a gift. I am glad to have her among my people.”

Clarke tried picturing Raven as Commander. She knew Raven had wanted to be a lot of things on the Ark and she was denied all of them. But she’d persevered; coming to Earth in an ancient rocket. She survived a gunshot wound. She pushed on. Pushed forward.

“She probably would have been,” Clarke agreed. “I’m just glad her hostility seems to be fading. Towards me and you.”

“Because of Finn?” Lexa asked. Clarke nodded.

They met with Echo and her chosen warriors near the front gate. Raven already looked tired as Echo helped her onto a horse. Clarke watched Lexa swing up into her saddle with ease before pulling herself up awkwardly. All the aches from their last ride returned immediately.

Clarke sighed. She really hated horses.

They moved out with Echo in the lead and two grounders at the back of the party. They were moving through allied territory, so everyone looked fairly relaxed. Lexa had said they didn’t need to worry until the air turned. Whatever that meant.

 

==============================================================

 

Two days of hard riding and Clarke was worried that Raven wasn’t going to make it. She was barely going to make it and they still had a full day and a half of riding.

Raven had to often stop and walk to stretch her aching leg. Clarke would usually walk with her, but sometimes Echo would too. Clarke did what she could with their medical supply. Raven wasn’t sleeping though. Her eyes had dark circles under them and she was sweating even though it was cold.

The walking slowed their party, but no one said anything. The villages they stopped in for the night were delighted to see the Commander and curious of the Skaikru people they’d heard stories about. Clarke liked listening to Lexa breeze through the various clan languages and dialects as they arrived in each village. Her limited Trigedasleng got her through some conversation, but most of the time Clarke was lost.

Dawn of the fourth day, the wind shifted. They were packing to move on and Clarke was surprised by a warm, almost wet breeze touched her face. An hour into their ride and they’d all shed their heavy winter furs. The air was hot and thick, moisture sitting heavy in the air. It felt like walking through a rain cloud. Sweat trickled down Clarke’s back as they pressed deeper into the heat.

The trees changed and so did the noises and smells. The air had a sickly-sweet smell that came from flowering brush.

“The noise is frogs,” Lexa said, riding next to Clarke.

“Oh, I didn’t know they could make a noise like that,” Clarke said. They sounded almost like a machine running. Knowing it was only frogs made it way less threatening.

“Yes,” Lexa said. Lexa didn’t seem to be bothered by the heat or the humidity. Her and the grounders still wore most of their armor over pants and long sleeves. Clarke was down to a tank top that clung to her torso with sweat. She was sure she looked less than attractive, but Lexa still looked good even with a faint flush on her cheeks and her sweaty hair sticking to her face and neck. Clarke stared without meaning to, and was jerked from her thoughts when a grounder suddenly shouted.

“What is it?” Clarke asked, panicked. She watched Echo double back as Lexa rode to meet her by Raven. Both were off their horses in an instant. Echo stopped Raven’s horse as Raven slumped and tipped over only to be caught by Lexa.

Clarke struggled to dismount as Lexa eased Raven onto the ground, Echo handing her a canteen. She rushed over to them, dropping to her knees as Lexa called out orders. The other riders took off much faster then they’d been riding before.

“They went ahead to Leig to get a wagon,” Lexa told Clarke.

“She’s probably over heated,” Clarke said pressing her hand against Raven’s brow. Echo handed Clarke the water. Clarke handed it to Lexa.

“I’m taking her brace and her pants off. Try getting her hair wet,” Clarke said as she got to work undoing buckles and straps on Raven’s leg brace. “Echo can you hold her leg stable?” Clarke asked. Echo nodded, placing her hands on Raven. Clarke slid the brace off as Raven groaned. She looked up to see Raven’s eyelids fluttering, but she didn’t open her eyes. Lexa was stroking her now wet hair away from her face.

Clarke made quick work of Raven’s pants hoping she wouldn’t be mad about being half naked in the jungle. Her leg was bruised and swollen, but nothing that looked damaging.

“I can carry her. We will move so that we can meet the wagon,” Lexa said. Echo nodded, tying her hair back.

“Wait, it’s hot and you could get sick too. It’s the heat,” Clarke told Lexa. The trees above them were dense enough to keep most of the sun out, but also dense enough to not allow much of a breeze. The air around them was stagnant and frankly, it was making Clarke feel a little dizzy.

“It’s fine, Clarke,” Lexa said, rocking back on her heels. She started pulling off pieces of her armor causing Echo to look displeased. Lexa packed her armor on her horse and pushed up her sleeves. “Lift her onto my back,” Lexa said to Echo. “Then take the horses.”

Echo lifted Raven onto Lexa’s back and Lexa stood with ease. She looked back at Clarke with a smile. Clarke just stared, blushing even though her face was already red. Such an effortless display of strength did things to Clarke. She wanted to rush over to Lexa and kiss her.

Instead, she busied herself with getting back on her horse. The effort made her sweat more.

Echo tied Lexa’s horse to Clarke’s before mounting her horse and following Lexa. She muttered something to Lexa that Clarke couldn’t hear, but Lexa’s tone sounded like she was telling her to stand down.

It had to be at least an hour before they met the wagon. Echo had taken Raven from Lexa not long ago and helped ease her into the wagon. Those from Leig spoke quickly to the Commander and Lexa seemed to give them instructions before turning to Clarke.

“They brought cold compresses that will help lower her body temperature. There’s also a cold stream by Leig,” she explained to Clarke. Clarke nodded wondering how there could be anything cold in this heat.

 

But the stream delivered. With the help from Leig’s healer, they half submerged Raven in the refreshing water. Clarke and Lexa waded in on either side of Raven who was finally stirring. Echo stood between the stream and the villagers from Leig who were curious about what the Commander was doing.

“Where are we?” Raven mumbled, looking up at Clarke.

“You passed out from the heat,” Clarke said softly. She knelt in the water to be closer to Raven who tried to sit up. Clarke didn’t let her.

“I feel like I’m sinking and floating at the same time,” she said to Clarke.

“It’s the water. We’re in a stream.”

“Like a pool?” Raven asked.

“I guess,” Clarke said. She looked over at Lexa who sat in the water so that it was up to her stomach. She was slowly dragging her hands through the clear water around her while she looked up at the sky. Or maybe the trees that blocked most of the sky.

“Don’t worry,” Raven said with a small smile, drawing Clarke’s attention away from Lexa.

“What?” Clarke asked. Raven smiled again, shutting her eyes.

“I won’t tell anyone that I’ve seen you making goo-goo eyes at her,” Raven mumbled with a content sigh.

Clarke felt her cheeks burn red.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really like Echo and I don't know why. Also, they are near Raleigh, North Carolina right now and came from the Pennsylvania/Maryland border where I imagine Polis to be if anyone was wondering.


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Months after the fight with Mount Weather finds the sky people spread thin. Most are setting up home in Mount Weather. Abby and Bellamy are with the Ice Nation Queen in her territory as she wants proof that uniting with the Sky People benefits her. And Clarke is on the hunt for the fallen Ark stations with the guidance of Lexa while also continuing to strengthen their hidden relationship. 
> 
> As Clarke and Lexa journey south, they find new information about computers found out in the Dead Zone by Abby and Marcus. Lexa warns Clarke that there are hostile groups in the world, and it's best not to go looking for them.

When Raven recovered enough to push into neutral territory, they were off. They crossed swamps full of glowing bugs and dark sludge. Raven held a Geiger Counter, watching the needle hit high levels as they walked over petrified wooden bridges. The thing made an annoying static noise that Echo complained about profusely, but Lexa ignored her.

Clarke was on edge after Raven confessed to being onto her feelings about Lexa. She didn’t want it to compromise the thin truce her people had managed to forge, but she didn’t want to stop what she had with Lexa. So instead, she offered to bring up the rear while Raven walked with Lexa and Echo.

The swamp lands were muggy and Clarke hated the way sweat rolled down the back of her neck. Sleeping had been hard. She’d never experienced being too hot to sleep. The Ark had days where it’d been warm, but nothing drastic.

And they’d landed near Mount Weather when it was the beginning of fall and the cooler air was already blowing through the mountains. The sticky air here was something Clarke couldn’t wait to leave behind.

Not to mention how radioactive the entire area seemed to be. The trees looked healthy; tall with thick canopies that blocked out most of the sun. The swamp around the trees was dark and thick. In some light, it looked brown and in other light it had a dark green tint.

Clarke was glad Raven wasn’t a biologist or they’d be there all day.

They exited the bridges onto a patch of dry dirt. There was a single building in the clearing with various markings on all sides. Their party stopped, but Lexa approached the two that had emerged from the shop.

“Raven and Clarke, you are free to enter the shop,” Lexa called. Clarke watched Raven hand off the Geiger Counter before limping forward. Clarke trailed behind.

“This is Marc and Niylah,” Lexa introduced. “Marc holds the neutral territory and Niylah is a scavenger. I intend to bring her back with us so that she can take you to other areas near Polis.”

“CLARKE!” Raven shouted before Clarke could introduce herself. She rushed inside to see Raven booting up computers. The building must have been some sort of lab. “This was a world weather service building,” Raven said happily as screens around the shop booted up. Some were cracked and some didn’t light up at all, but four did.

“London, Sydney, Cairo, and Beijing,” Clarke read out as the computers announced that they were syncing to satellite feed.

“How’d you do that?” Niylah demanded.

“I plugged everything back in,” Raven said as she typed away. “Live feed should be coming in.”

The sides of the screens lit up with information tracking temperature and wind speeds. Slowly, camera view began to come in.

The camera for London was half covered in mud, the image smeared and unclear. Sydney was pointed at a clear night sky. Cairo showed grainy feed of what looked like a dust storm. The computer told them there were tornadoes in the Cairo area.

And Beijing looked over a crumpled city much like Polis.

“I can do a heat scan of the area,” Raven added, typing away. The images shifted to 3D maps of the city and blobs of concentrated heat showed up.

“What does it mean, Clarke?” Lexa asked. Clarke couldn’t believe what she was looking at.

“People,” Raven said. Beijing was almost completely lit up. The groups were smaller in Cairo and Sydney. And there were only a few small groups in London.

“This is what’s out in the Dead Zone,” Clarke said to Lexa. “It must be another weather station and the screens were set to the heat maps on North America. I wonder where else there are people.”

“I take it this means you are going into the Dead Zone then,” Lexa said. Clarke looked at her for a long moment.

“I need to know how many are out there,” Clarke said softly.

“We can’t make peace with the entire world,” Lexa pointed out. Clarke sighed. While Lexa was right that didn’t mean she shouldn’t still look for people.

“I still have to look. And at least now we know that these computers aren’t made by some malicious group or something. They are just weather centers,” Clarke said turning back to the screens.

Marc said something to Lexa that Clarke couldn’t follow, but it sounded like a threat. Lexa ignored him and spoke to Niylah in grounder instead. She nodded, disappearing further into the shop.

“What I originally brought you here to show you was pieces of scrap that I think came from your space home,” Lexa said to Clarke. Niylah returned showing Clarke a piece of metal that read _MIR-3._

Clarke nodded. “This is definitely part of the Ark. I don’t remember what stations came from which country, but I know this is one. Where’d it come from?” Clarke asked Niylah.

“Neutral mountain area just northwest of here,” she said. “It was just a wreck. No alive people. We stripped down all the metal we could. A lot has been sold off, but we’ve still got some.”

Clarke felt her stomach knot up. “How many dead?” she asked. Niylah shrugged.

“Maybe twenty? Maybe less. All looked like they died in the crash. The ship was pretty broken and charred.”

“Can you take me there?” Clarke asked. Niylah looked to Lexa who nodded.

“We can go there,” Lexa said. “Although it’s probably snowing in the mountains.”

“I just want a look around. When I find out what station it was I can ask on the radio how many people were on board. There are still seven stations missing though.”

“Any reports?” Lexa asked Niylah.

“Rumors from the Dead Zone and another higher in the mountains. I think one went up in flames. All we found were some bits and pieces. Nothing recognizable. Nothing in the swamps though. I didn’t check north or west thoroughly.”

“I can have my people make a projected area map taking into consideration that farm station was further north and this station seems the furthest south,” Clarke said handing the metal back to Niylah. “Find anything else interesting, Raven?” Clarke asked. She seemed immersed in whatever was on the screen in front of her.

“I’m reading the recordings that have been taken over the last 100 years,” Raven said with a frown. “The radiation seriously messed with the weather, which is to be expected, but the ways the earth seemed to adapt to it are amazing,” she said and pulled up another map on the London screen. “Watch the vegetation and water levels as it goes through the years,” Raven told Clarke.

She watched. At first there was very little. And then there was an explosion as temperatures rose. In a three-year time spread London was completely covered in new plant growth. “This was in 2060,” Raven said, showing radiation levels vs oxygen and other gases. “By 2070, the radiation was down allowing more to grow and grow fast. The altered plant life seems to have an accelerated growth rate. Maybe from the water?” She started typing away while the rest of them watched the maps flash and change.

“Pull up Sydney,” Clarke said and Raven pulled up the map of plant life and water levels. “The water severely drops around Sydney after the explosions, but in ten years their fresh water levels have almost doubled.”

“Let me see if I can find old imagining the satellites might have recorded,” Raven said. “Here. The last image is from 2082,” she said pulling up photos from the satellites.

“Lexa,” Clarke said as Raven scrolled through. “I don’t think the Dead Zone is from where the bombs hit, but rather where the ocean receded. See all the dry land off Sydney that used to be ocean? And how the sand and dunes look similar. We have to get to that other weather station,” Clarke said. “It probably has tons of information that we could use.”

Lexa nodded. Clarke wished her people weren’t tied up with the Ice Nation or she could send a party out into the Dead Zone right away.

“It’s not going anywhere, Clarke,” Lexa said. “We will check out the landing area of your station and then when we get back to Polis, we can arrange to go to the weather station,” Lexa said. “Raven, does it say there are other weather stations?” Lexa asked.

“Yeah, I’ll make a list,” Raven said. Lexa nodded, speaking to Niylah in grounder. Niylah saluted and then disappeared deeper into the shop.

“She will prepare the supplies we will be moving,” Lexa said as Raven limped over to them with a list written on paper that looked like it was about to disintegrate.

“The only one that seems to be online is the one in the Dead Zone,” Raven said. “But I wrote down the locations and coordinates of the other ones in North America.”

Lexa nodded and Raven carefully folded the list. She turned to Clarke. “If there are places like this that can still link to satellites and have functioning computers think of the possibilities,” Raven said. “I mean, there’s still the issue of what do we do when they stop working, but if we can somehow connect the world or the people out there.”

“Reestablishing communication definitely seems like something we should at least try,” Clarke agreed although she knew what Lexa said was true. It was different times when land and resources meant more than being friendly with your neighbors.

“We will discuss it with all the clans,” Lexa said before heading outside. Clarke watched her go, unsure of how Lexa felt. She sighed. Opportunity complicated a lot of things.

 

 

 

Back in the huts outside of the swamp, Clarke stood with Lexa. They’d finished eating and were ready to leave at first light. Niylah’s wagon was full to the brim, but there was room for Raven to ride with her. That comforted Clarke. Knowing Raven wasn’t at risk of running herself ragged on a horse again was a relief.

“I’m sorry,” Clarke said. Lexa was looking out over the stream. She wore her lighter armor, but still long pants and long sleeves. Clarke had traded her top for a sleeveless, flimsy cloth that was a lot cooler.

“I’m not mad, Clarke,” Lexa said, but didn’t look at her. Clarke stood next to her.

“I can’t tell what you’re thinking,” Clarke said quietly.

“I’m thinking too much,” Lexa told her, looking over at Clarke. “According to the rules, you are bound to follow my lead and my command,” she said. “But I know I can say that a thousand times and you will still go. So, I’m trying to figure out how to allow it.”

Clarke nodded, looking at the ground. She knew as she said it, her ideas would cause Lexa trouble. She wished she knew how the twelve stations had done it in the past. She wished she had more to offer the twelve clans in exchange for possibly changing their lives entirely. Or at least for doing it again. Medicine and science only seemed to be getting them so far. The world was about strength and power. It was about land and resources and how to protect your own.

“I am sorry,” Clarke said again. “I wouldn’t be able to do what you do.”

“You would, Clarke,” she said with a faint smile. “While you don’t carry our Commander’s spirit, you do carry the spirit of a commander; of a leader.”

“I’m so bad at it though,” Clarke sighed.

“People are alive and thriving because of you,” Lexa said. “That is still a success even if you have many failures.”

Clarke shrugged, looking towards the sky. “I guess,” she muttered.

“So, will you tell me why you’ve been avoiding me?” Lexa asked. Clarke’s eyes shot to Lexa. She felt her cheeks burn, but it was definitely too dark for Lexa to notice. She hoped.

“Was it that obvious?” Clarke asked.

“Only to me,” Lexa said rolling her shoulders back and clasping her hands behind her back. She smirked at Clarke. Clarke felt her cheeks burn hotter as well as an overwhelming urge to kiss Lexa. She wanted to feel that smirk against her lips.

“Raven’s catching on,” Clarke said, the smirk never left Lexa’s lips. “If she is, other people might be too and that could cause problems.”

“Clarke, who I choose to spend time with is no ones’ business. While people tend to assess my relationships as points of weakness, I assure you, you are worth more than that weakness. Sure, were terrible things to happen to you, I would suffer, but leaders can have love in their lives without it being their downfall.”

Clarke didn’t tell Lexa that if she lost her it would probably be her downfall. Lexa was stronger and Clarke drew her strength from Lexa.

“So, you’re saying don’t worry about it?” Clarke said. Lexa nodded.

“I’ve been anticipating the days when I can fall asleep next to you again,” Lexa told her. “To kiss you good night and to kiss you good morning.”

“Soon,” Clarke said, only realizing then how much she missed that too. That and being allowed to be close to Lexa without having to bear the weight of being the leaders.

“Soon,” Lexa echoed. She pulled something out of her pocket and placed it in Clarke’s hand. It was a piece of worn smooth blue glass that fit in the palm of Clarke’s hand. “When we were little, we would hunt for sea glass whenever we went to the water. To find a piece of glass so smooth and worn was a delight. I saw this piece when we arrived.”

“Thank you,” Clarke said closing her fingers around it.

“When we get back to Polis, I want to show you my home,” Lexa said with a soft smile. “It’s not far from the capital.”

“I would like that,” Clarke said, returning Lexa’s smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm super excited to write about Lexa's home village, so look forward to that~  
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
